Lost Memories
by Calimestelitava
Summary: Crossover InuyashaBleach. Naraku finds a young woman during his walk, takes her in to find out that she's not human or youkai, and she can't remember anything. Finding about her abilities, he decides to use her. But things are never as simple as they seem
1. Lost and Found

AN: My very first Crossover! Bleach/Inuyasha. The section completely in italics is a flashback.

Disclaimer: Only OC:s belong to me. Inuyasha/Bleach characters don't.

Chapter 1

Night falls upon a castle in the Feudal Japan. A young master of the castle, Hitomi Kagewaki, leaves the confines of his rooms to walk around the castle grounds. This is something he does every evening. To his 'father' and his servants and soldiers he's no more than a sickly young master of the castle; however what he truly is is hidden from everyone. He is Naraku, a hanyou born when a group of youkai devoured the soul and body of a human thief Onigumo.

His walk is suddenly disrupted when he senses something. It's not youki, nor holy powers, it's something else. Something… different. Very soon he finds someone lying on the ground. A woman. She doesn't seem to be hurt, but she definitely is unconscious.

He looks at her for a while, taking in her clothing. She is wearing black kimono and hakama, with a white sash. Next to her is lying a sheathed katana, apparently hers. He considers her beautiful with her finely shaped face and hair that shines like pure gold in the light of the torches. On her forehead, more precisely right in between of her eyebrows, is a dark blue jewel hanging from a golden chain. It seems that her entire skin, the parts he can see at least, is covered with thin golden stripes, like tattoos.

For a moment he tries to figure out what to do with her. Very soon he would be ready to make his next move to try to gather the shards of the Shikon no Tama, and he will be needing assistance to do so.

He reaches a decision and places her katana in to his sash and scoops her into his arms and heads for his castle.

As soon as he reaches his castle several servants approach him to offer to carry this woman for him.

"I can handle her. Prepare one of the guest rooms and get a healer." He observes as the servants rush to obey his orders. As soon as the room is prepared he carries her in and lowers her to lie on the futon.

Very soon the old woman he recognises as the castle's main healer arrives. He gives her instructions and leaves the two women in the room.

Some while later the healer leaves the room and faces him. "What are her injuries?" He asks her slightly concerned.

"My lord, she has no external wounds and I couldn't find any signs of internal wounds. Her bones aren't fractured, her heart is strong and beating steadily. She's also breathing well. All we can do is to wait until she awakens.

He listens to her words, but his mind is somewhere else. _What happened to her? What _is _she? She looks like human, but that energy is not human, nor youkai. _He decides to find out as soon as she wakes up. After a moment he kneels next to her futon, to wait for her awakening.

Slowly he reaches out his hand to trace one of the stripes on her cheek with his finger. When he touches the stripe, he feels energy tingling on the tip of his finger. He finds this quite interesting.

Then he moves tips of his fingers to her skin right above the stripe. This time there is no tingling. He frowns slightly. Stripes seem not to be tattoos or something she was born with. What are they?

For hours he observes her, until he dozes off, right before the sunrise.

* * *

Next morning finds the woman stirring in between her sheets. Slowly she comes to. Keeping her eyes closed she begins to study her surroundings with her other senses. _I am lying on something soft, a futon perhaps? What else? I can hear that someone is breathing, slowly and steadily. Asleep. Where am I?_

Then she tries to remember what happened to her before passing out. Obviously she _did_ pass out at some point, for she can't remember being in bed. She frowns as she realises that she can't actually remember anything. She tries to concentrate and force out some memories, but as usual when trying to force memories out, she fails.

Almost growling in frustration she turns her attention back to her body and her place of rest. She can't feel any sore spots, nothing is hurting. Good. Then she tries to sense presences. For some reason she knows she can do it. She just senses one being nearby, albeit it is someone she doesn't recognise. Bitterly she thinks that she probably wouldn't recognise her own mother right now. She frowns again. Does she have a mother? Or is she dead?

She sighs softly, deciding to open her eyes at last. At first she can't see a thing, but soon enough she begins to see shapes, and finally see can see perfectly well the room she's in. The room itself is fairly plain. There is no other furniture than the futon she's lying on. A glance to her left reveals a window, and a quick glance to her right reveals a man.

She frowns as she studies him. He is kneeling not too far from her. He seems to be dozing so she has enough time to take in his dark long wavy hair, and his face, which to her looks quite feminine. For a moment she considers the possibility that he's actually she, but his hands that are resting on his knees are too big to belong to a woman.

Her gaze moves to his attire. He is wearing a blue kimono, light blue hakama, and a white haori with beautiful designs on it. Right by him she can see a pile of clothes, black and white. She frowns as she looks at them. _Those clothes… Do they belong to me?_ She can also see a sheathed katana leaning against the wall near the clothes. _That must be his. I do not think that I would use katana, would I?_

She really hopes that she could remember something, anything. Anything at all. In frustration she gazes at the light coloured roof above her, trying to force memories to surface once more. Again, no avail.

Naraku awakes with a start and realises that the mysterious woman is awake already, staring at the roof with her golden eyes. _Golden? I thought only youkai can have such unusual colours. But she's no youkai. What can she be?_

He decides to address her. "How are you feeling, young lady?"

She recoils and turns to look at the young brown eyed man. "I feel well, I presume. I do not feel pain nor discomfort. May I inquire about my current location?"

"I am Hitomi Kagewaki, the young Lord of this castle. Castle itself belongs to my father. What is your name, young lady, if I may ask?"

She heaves a sigh. "I fear I do not remember my name. My apologies. What were the circumstances regarding my arrival in this castle?"

"I found you near the castle during my evening walk. At the time you were unconscious and I brought you here. That katana was lying next to you, so I assumed that it belonged to you and brought it as well."

"I thank you for your kindness towards a stranger such as myself. Was I by myself when you found me? I have tried to recall the events prior to my awakening this morning, but I have yet to succeed."

"You were alone. There were some sighs of fighting near you, but no bodies, living or dead."

She nods and tries to sits up, but Naraku reaches for her shoulders, pushing her back to the futon. "Young lady, I must insist. We don't know how long you have been unconscious."

She glares at him, pushing him away. "I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing, however I feel well."

As she moves, she feels something touching her forehead. She lifts her hand to feel the moving object, which appears to be a jewel of some kind. She can even feel the chain which holds it. _Why would there be a jewel adorning my forehead? Could it be something I can use to figure out who I am?_

Her train of thought is cut off by a servant who appears behind the shoji screen inquiring if his lord and 'milady' would like some breakfast, and if they would like to eat in this room, or will they join the others in the dining room.

Naraku looks at the woman, amazed again by the golden stripes across her skin. They seem to enter to, or leave from, a place on her forehead that the jewel touches. "Are you hungry, young lady?"

She nods and Naraku looks back at the servant. "Bring them in here."

The servant leaves only to return a moment later with breakfast for both. As soon as they receive it and begin to eat it, Naraku observes the woman's eating. She eats somewhat hastily, as if she would be starving, but she eats neatly. _She has table manners. A member of nobility? But would a noble woman use a katana? Perhaps some do. Judging by the way she speaks, she could be one.._

After the two have finished, she speaks. "My body requires fresh air. Is it possible for me to satisfy the demands of my body by taking a walk in your garden?"

"Do you feel that you are well enough for it?" She nods and he continues. "I would love to take you around my garden. I will get a maid to bring you some suitable clothing." He stands up, she following right after him.

"Wait here until the maid comes. She will help you should you need it. After you're done, she will bring you to me."

* * *

After Naraku has left the room Aurora decides to check the pile of clothes if they would tell something about who she is. The first piece of clothing she picks up is a black short kimono. It seems to carry no insignia to help her to identify her. With a sigh she picks up a white undershirt, a white sash, and pair of white socks.

She puts the clothes away and reaches for the katana. Doing so she notices gold stripes going across her wrist, arm, and hand. _What are these?_ She shakes her head and decides to figure it out later so she can concentrate on the katana for now.

The woman reaches for the weapon once again taking it into her hands. At first she studies the finely made black sheath. It seems to be in perfect condition. _Is the sword new? Or perhaps merely the sheath is new._

Then she grabs the hilt, noticing that the wrap is gold, and draws the katana from the sheath. Studying the guard, she notices that it is gracefully carved, inside a wavy square shaped frame she can see shapes of flowers with thin oval shape petals and moon crests.

She pulls the sword to study its blade. She realises that the slender blade has neither nicks nor stains. _Have this ever been used?_ As she moves her fingers across the blade's side she suddenly senses something weird, yet calming coming from the sword. As if it would be talking to her. But swords don't talk, right?

She closes her eyes and tries to listen to the words. Unfortunately only one of the words seems to reach his head loud and clear.

'Aurora.'

She thinks about the word. _Could it be my name?_ _It sounds familiar enough. _Her ponderings are interrupted by a maid asking for her permission to enter. She gives the permission and the maid slides the shoji screen open. As soon as she is inside she presents the woman with a pale blue kimono with dark blue embroidery and a light purple obi.

The maid helps her out of the sleeping yukata and into the kimono. After the maid has tied the obi she leads the woman to her footwear and to Kagewaki, who's waiting at the door to the garden.

As he sees the two women coming at him he can't prevent a small smile crossing his lips. The woman carries herself as if she would be a noble. She holds her head high, observing her surroundings carefully. Her strides are confident and would be a lot longer and faster if she wouldn't have to follow the maid. 

As the two women approach the young lord, the maid bows at him and the other woman before she leaves them. Naraku offers his arm to her. With a smile she takes it, thanking him for the beautiful kimono.

They step outside and begin their walk around the garden. He shows her every flower, tree, and bush they pass and tells more of every plant she wants to stop to observe closer. Finally they stop in front of the blossoming sakura tree, which Kagewaki introduces to her being the oldest tree in the castle garden.

Seeing the cherry tree she suddenly gets an odd feeling. A memory resurfaces into her mind. Unfortunately before she can grab it, it's gone. _What was that about?_ She looks at the tree again. _Could this tree have something to do with my name?_

Noticing the woman's silence her companion turns to look at her worry in his eyes. "Young lady, is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. That tree… It merely seemed to awaken a memory, which I could not quite seize. I have got a feeling that it has something to do with my name."

"Can you remember something already?"

"I am fairly certain that my first name is Aurora." He gives her a questioning look, so she continues to tell him how exactly she figured it out. However, before he can ask any more questions Aurora feels her knees failing under her and she falls. The only thing preventing her from falling to the ground is Naraku who manages to catch her into his arms.

He carries her into her room and lowers her on her futon. "Young lady, I apologise. I should've not let you get off from bed this early. Now, try to sleep." With this he leaves her room.

She wearily tries to change into her yukata, but her body just doesn't seem to co-operate, so she allows sleep to claim her.

* * *

During Aurora's sleep Naraku is trying to find out who and what she is. He is in his room going through every report and journal entry that might give a clue to her identity. At first he goes through the things he already knows of her.

_Her first name is Aurora, and her family name most likely has something to do with cherry. _Then another detail crosses his mind. _Didn't she say that her sword was trying to _talk_ to her? Swords don't usually talk. Youkai blades can, but this was no youkai blade._

He studies the parchments, finally finding a journal of a miko who worked in the castle some while ago. She wrote that approximately twenty years ago she met a very unordinary man. This man was wearing clothing similar to the woman's.

According to the priestess no one else in the castle was able to see the man. They had a talk, and the man had used a name, which she could not remember, when he was referring to his katana. She had also figured out that the katana apparently communicated with the man.

He stops at this. _This sounds familiar._ Eager to find out more, he reads on. According to the miko the man had told her that he was a shinigami, or death god, or soul reaper, a spiritual entity who lives in the world of souls, and who protects and guides souls.

Naraku closes his eyes and considers what he had just read. _A spirit entity. Could she be one? She is neither youkai nor human. A celestial being? No. Her energy is different. She has to be a shinigami, or death god._

He opens his eyes and smirks. _Death gods deal with souls. The Sacred Jewel has the souls of Midoriko and youkai fighting inside it. I'm sure she can help, by seeing the shards. And of course I can use her fighting skills. Though I won't tell this to her yet._

* * *

The woman wakes up later in the evening. She yawns and gets up to check how long she slept. The sun is fairly low, yet it's not time of sunset, not for at least an hour or so. _I must have slept several hours._ She straightens her kimono and decides to go outside again. She feels that she must return to that tree, so she goes to the garden again, hoping to remember her life.

She passes many servants on her way, but the garden itself has no other people in it. Once she reaches the cherry tree she sits down in front of it, her back against the tree. Than she just allows her thoughts wander around.

During the first couple of minutes she can only recall things that happened earlier that day. However, suddenly a new image fills her mind.

* * *

_She is sitting her back against a cherry tree in her own corner of their garden. She is smiling. The scent of this tree is amazing._

_Suddenly her musings are interrupted as she hears noises. "Aurora!" Yawning she looks at the approaching man in shikahusho, shinigami outfit._

_She groans. "What is it now, chichi-ue? I was in the middle of a very relaxing daydream."_

_The man halts in front of his young daughter. If she would be a human, people would guess that she's merely ten years of age. "Aurora, your presence is required at the dinner."_

_She grins and runs to her father, hugging his waist. He reaches down to move the jewel on her forehead, similar to his necklace. And the stripes leaving from below her jewel are similar to his stripes leaving from below the jewel hanging on her forehead. "Aurora, you are aware of the importance of keeping the seal at its place, do you not?"_

_She looks at his face. "Yes, chichi-ue."_

_He detaches himself from her and takes her hand. "Come, your haha-ue is waiting."_

_Her eyes lighten up. "Will _they_ be there too?"_

_He laughs and ruffles his daughter's hair. "Yes they will."_

* * *

Suddenly Aurora snaps out of her memory, interrupted by a familiar male voice. "Young lady, my servants informed me that you were seen coming in here. Are you feeling better?"

She tilts her head backwards to look at lord Kagewaki. "I feel better, thank you for asking. I came here hoping to recall more of my lost memories. I apologise if I caused you to worry about me."

"You didn't. Do you mind if I join you?" She shakes her head so he sits down next to her. "Did it work?"

"I was in a garden like this, at my home, when a man came to me, calling me Aurora, so that truly is my name. He was wearing an outfit similar to the one you found me in. I think it is called 'shikahusho'. I believe it is a uniform of a shinigami, albeit I have no recollection as what shinigami is. He had a jewel in a necklace, and from beneath it a group of stripes similar to mine left to cover all the skin I saw. He touched the one on my forehead and called it a seal. I was a young girl at the time."

Naraku listens to her words silently. As she finishes the two are quiet for a while, both pondering over her words. Aurora is trying to understand why it would be important to keep this 'seal' in place. And what is shinigami? Is she one herself? She has to be, by the fact that she has their uniform.

Naraku himself smirks inwardly to this information. _She is a shinigami after all. Now, I just have to figure out the seal. _His mind begins to make plans considering how to keep this young woman with him, and how to get her to help him to find the Shikon shards.

After a moment of silence he speaks, capturing her golden gaze with his currently brown. "Tell me, what are you planning to do once you have fully recovered?"

Her eyes widen a fraction before she averts her gaze and shakes her head 'no'. She really hadn't though about it. "I have merely tried to recall my past and life, I have not thought of anything else, such as the future."

Naraku is quiet for a moment before reaching out with his hand and forces her gently to look at him. "I wish that you would stay in the castle, at least for a while longer, until you remember everything you have to. After that I would be happy to help you to return to your friends and family."

Aurora's eyes widen even more before she lowers her gaze. "I thank you for your offer, my lord, and I gladly accept it. I am hoping to be able to return the kindness you showed me."

He lowers his hand to cover hers. "I want you to stay here to keep me company. I'm very sickly and I could use the company of someone else than my servants."

Aurora blushes and she looks at his hand, which still lies above hers. Neither is making any move to remove one's hand. From his hand he turns his gaze to her lap. "If you wish me to stay, I will."

He smiles to her. "I do."

Her blush deepens as she looks at him. After a second of hesitation she smiles back at him. "Then I will stay."


	2. The First Fight and The First Kiss

AN: Alright, sorry if you had to wait for this. This is, by the way, the story I'm most proud of. I already have outlines for the first 13 or so chapters, and you can expect a lot of fluff, some of it in this chapter. In future there will be familiar scenes from the Inuyasha series, but I have sligthly adapted them to fit my story. Eventually the story will go its own way completely.

DISCLAIMERS: Inuyasha and Bleach are not mine, but Aurora and her family are.

Chapter 2

For the first time since she was found, Aurora has donned her original clothes and is at the castle yard, sparring with wooden katanas with a couple of the samurai from the castle. It is obvious that she has been trained for this, for even though she can't remember the practices themselves, her muscles seem to remember them. She blocks every strike, and manages to hit the samurais more times than they can dodge.

After the sparring she returns to her quarters to change her clothes. She chooses to wear a dark blue kimono with gold obi. While putting the kimono on, she thinks about the week she has spent in the castle so far.

Most of the week she has kept company to the young Kagewaki, who is with his father right now and had suggested that she should practice with her katana, just in case if it would help her to remember things. Too bad it didn't really work. Not that anything she has tried during the week had. After that one recollection of her father, no other memory has emerged.

During the week she has been able to get to know the other inhabitants of the castle as well. It didn't take long for her to realise that Kagewaki himself is different from the others.

She knows for sure, that the others are humans. But Kagewaki? She doesn't think so. It's not something she could see, rather she can sense it. To her it seems like the energy radiating from his body would be different from the others'.

For a couple of times she had planned asking him why his energy seems different, but always had finally decided that she'll let him talk about it as he's ready to do so.

Her train of thought is stopped by her maid's voice, telling her that she is ready now. She feels that it's a bit wrong that someone else has to help her to get dressed, but she just can't figure out how to tie this obi. The one of her hakama, fine. But this one? She just can't understand who it's supposed to be tied.

As soon as the maid leaves, Aurora heads towards Kagewaki's chambers, only to find out that he's not there. She closes her eyes and tries to sense his presence. At first she feels nothing, but then she locates him. He is right outside the castle wall.

She walks to the gates, intending to pass through them, as she senses him coming closer, so she decides to wait for him. Soon enough he passes through the gates and Aurora walks to him.

"Aurora, how was your sparring session?"

The grim look on his face sends cold shivers through her spine. She pushes all thoughts of the possible reasons to the look to the back of her head before replying. "It was intriguing, my lord. It appears that I have been taught swordsmanship at some point of my life."

"Did you remember anything?"

"Iie, my lord."

"A pity. I'm afraid our nightly walk will not happen tonight, for I need you elsewhere."

"My lord?"

"Every evening for the past week a youkai has attacked a village nearby. I want you to defeat it. Take your katana and go to the village to defend it. This castle is somewhat dependant on the crops of that village."

"Understood. Is there anything else I ought to be informed?"

"Yes. The youkai is carrying a shard of a purple jewel. Bring it to me. The shard is from the Jewel, which will become very dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands."

Aurora bows at him and goes to her room to change clothes, again. She refuses to use this fine kimono too far outside the castle, so she puts on her shikahusho. As soon as she's finished, she slides her weapon to her sash and turns around towards her door, only to come face to face with Kagewaki. The young man has a thoughtful look on his face. "Is something the matter, my lord?"

"Be careful. That youkai has slain many capable warriors in that village." He doesn't stay long enough to hear her reply when he already walks away. Aurora looks at his retreating back for a moment before rushing outside.

* * *

The villagers greet her with hope shining in their eyes. 'You're here to defeat it?' 'We're saved!' She can hear phrases like this from the people surrounding her. At the side of the village she can see approximately twenty fresh graves. This sight is enough for her to reach a decision: no more deaths because of this youkai.

Only a moment later she can sense a powerful evil aura approaching the village. Feeling slight confusion she realises that also Kagewaki's aura emits some of this evil feeling. Could this mean that Kagewaki is a hanyou, a half youkai?

She shakes these thoughts off of her head to concentrate on her enemy which has just emerged from the tree line. The youkai is nearly 7 feet tall, brown skinned, biped creature with a furry loin cloth and a club in its hand.

Aurora draws her katana making the creature to stop ten feet from her. It looks at the girl with a katana for a moment before it chuckles. "So, this is my meal this time. Come on, little girl, so I can eat you quickly. I'm getting hungry." It rubs its stomach and licks its lips.

She ignores its words, choosing to stay put and observe her enemy.

The youkai growls at her. "So, you want to do this the hard way." It has barely finished its sentence when it already swings the huge club at her.

Aurora is frozen to her place, staring at the club as it makes its way towards her. A small amount of panic threats to consume her as she realises that she won't be able to evade it. She gets surprised as a voice she has heard before tells her that all she has to do is to take one step back.

She forces herself to relax as she does as the voice told her to do. Her step takes her backwards right in time to prevent the club meeting her head.

Thee youkai growls again. "A fast dinner?" It attacks again, charging towards her.

This time Aurora allows her body, and training, to take control and she realises that the world is slowing down around her as she easily sidesteps the creature's attacks. After a moment she realises that it's not the world which is slowing down, instead it's _her_ who is moving a lot faster. Actually the youkai doesn't even seem to see her movements.

Very soon, to her shock, the creature picks up speed as well. She narrows her eyes suddenly seeing something odd. This youkai seems to have something shining on its legs. She remembers that Kagewaki mentioned shards. Could it be that this creature was using these shards? To her it seems that the both of the creature's legs have something in them, one each.

The next time the creature attacks the voice tells Aurora to stay put, even though her every instinct shout at her telling her to dodge. Aurora decides to listen to the voice, as the club comes at her, only to be stopped by something shining, a some kind of shield which suddenly appeared around her. She frowns, not quite understanding what just happened.

The youkai snarls viciously. "A barrier? No problems, it will weaken as soon as you get tired!" It attacks again, but this time is different. Following the voice in her head, Aurora darts forward piercing the creature's chest with her katana.

She is joined by the villagers as they watch the youkai turning into ashes. As the wind blows the ashes away, they can see how two purple shards fall to the ground. Aurora picks the shards up and heads for the castle, thinking about the battle.

_Where did that voice come from? What created the barrier? How was I able to move with such swiftness?_

* * *

Naraku glances at the forest near the castle as he is waiting Aurora to return. He had been here at the gates from the moment he felt the youki disappearing. He is grinning. _She succeeded, meaning that I made a good decision. _A short glance at the way shows her coming at him, apparently not noticing his presence.

As soon as Aurora notices him she comes to a halt. She gazes at him for a moment with an expression he can't interpret on her face. Then her expression changes and she walks to him.

"Aurora, how did it go?" Her golden gaze is locked with his brown, and Naraku is slightly worried as he notices that her eyes seem to be blank.

She gives him the shards. "The youkai will no longer cause disturbance."

"What's wrong, Aurora?"

She blinks. Twice. "I am afraid I am not certain what my lord wishes to know."

"Did something happen in there? Aurora, you have to tell me."

Aurora begins to walk towards the main building Naraku at her side. After a moment of hesitation she tells him what happened. Naraku pays a lot of attention to her words, realising that he was right when considering this woman a Shinigami. The woman's fast movements had to be shunpo, or flash step, the miko mentioned in her journal. The barrier is another matter. Did she make it? Or did her sword make it?

He walks her to her room, telling her to get rest. She complies gladly, however the days events go around in her head for hours before they finally recede to allow her to fall asleep.

* * *

As every morning since she agreed to keep him company, Aurora goes to see Kagewaki. However, this time seems to be different. He's still asleep. She considers this weird, but decides against waking him up. Instead she kneels by him, to await for his awakening. She recalls him saying that his body is weak, so she thinks that he's merely getting ill again.

After half an hour of waiting, Kagewaki wakes up at last. His pale face is even paler than usually, and his voice is weak. "I apologise, Aurora. I might not be able to be much of a company today."

Aurora smiles at him. "Worry not, my lord. I will be here, should you need anything."

He returns her smile with a weaker one of his own before he closes his eyes. Aurora observes him, as he seems to fall asleep. As she observes him she recalls the clues she has concerning her past. One question circles around her head. _Who am I?_

After the question recedes from her head yet another confusing thought fills her head. No matter how hard she tries to push the thought away, it stays stubbornly. She doesn't understand why each time she's with him, alone ore in a group, a warm feeling fills her. She can neither understand the feeling, nor can she identify it. What is this feeling? Why is she feeling like this?

She is pulled from her thoughts as she hears something from outside the room. After a quick glance at still sleeping Kagewaki she quietly exits the room to see two samurai warriors having an argument at the one end of the hallway.

Aurora rushes to them to chide them. "Gentlemen, it would be greatly appreciated if you were to take your disagreement to the outside. Young master is feeling unwell at the moment."

The two look at her, and seem to recognise her, if their widening eyes can tell anything. The taller one speaks first. "You're the young lord's woman, right?"

She narrows her eyes at them. "I merely keep him company, but it was not the topic of the moment. He is resting now and I will not allow anyone to disturb his sleep."

The younger one, who is also the shorter one, snorts. "Whatever. You can't tell us what to do." He approaches her.

Aurora takes a step backwards by instinct. What is he planning to do?

The man continues walking closer to her, with a grin on his face. "You are his woman, but I don't think he minds if we share a nice moment together."

"Please, keep your distance." She keeps on retreating. The man is too close for comfort already. Suddenly her eyes widen as the man stops in his tracks and looks at something behind her, with a look of fright on his face.

As soon as Aurora recognises a familiar aura, she turns around to see Kagewaki. Without hesitation she moves behind him, to observe the warriors from the safety of his familiar form.

Naraku turns his head to meet slightly panicked eyes of Aurora. He turns to look at the men with a frown. _What did they do to her? __What did they say?_ "Leave. Now."

The men almost run away from the two, and as soon as they are gone Naraku turns around to look at Aurora, who is so relieved after seeing a familiar face, that she loses control, and throws her arms around his waist, leaning her head at his chest, and merely allows the tears to come.

The surprise caused by her sudden action keeps Naraku from reacting during the first minute, but then he puts his arms around her shoulders and tries to soothe her. "Everything is alright now. You're in safe." He holds her as he rests his head in top of hers. He can't stop thinking about the panic which went through her eyes. He decides that if the men's actions caused it, they would pay.

Aurora feels safe in his arms, and slowly she calms down, and her tears stop flowing. "My apologies for allowing my tears to fall on your clothes. It will not happen again, my lord." She is talking to him, but refuses to look at his face.

"Do not worry about it. My priority is that you are all right."

Aurora glances at him, surprised. What is he talking about? Why is her heart beating this fast? "My apologies for failing to ensure your undisturbed rest."

"Like I said, Aurora, it doesn't matter." He dries the tear marks from her cheeks with his thumbs. "You are beautiful."

Aurora can feel heat spreading across her cheeks. Why she suddenly wants to run and stay – at the _same_ time? Her more reasonable side says that she should retreat and pretend nothing ever happened. Rest of her… Well, it wants her to stay and see what's going to happen.

The situation is too confusing for her, so she says something like 'thank you' to him as she keeps her gaze in his chin. She doesn't dare to look in his eyes right now, for she's not sure if she even _wants_ to know what expression he has at the moment gracing his good looking face.

Suddenly she can feel a hooked finger under her chin, forcing her to look up, only to realise that their faces are very close to each other. Before Aurora can react their lips are already together. She closes her eyes, feeling his gentle lips just touching her lips.

Their lips are together only for a duration of few heart beats, until the sound of approaching footsteps from round the corner brings Aurora out from her reverie and she takes a step back.

She can't face his gaze, so she mumbles her apologies and runs off to the garden. As soon as she's in the garden she just walks a moment, really not caring where she's heading, until she suddenly sees a very familiar cherry tree right in front of her.

She sits down next to the tree, leaning her back at it. She tries not to think about the kiss, but every time she tries to think about something else, anything, her thoughts somehow find their way to that kiss. She feels her heart beating in her chest, and it's beating hard.

Soon enough she can sense a familiar presence approaching her, but she can't find the courage to look up at the man she knows will be looking back at her.

"May I join you?"

Aurora keeps her gaze off of him, but inclines her head a bit. Then she can hear a rustle of clothes as he sits down next to her. "I'm sorry if I frightened you."

This time she looks at him, yet keeping her gaze at his chin. "You did not frighten me, my lord. I merely… I did not know what to-" He silences her effectively by putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her against him.

For a moment panic is starting to fill her mind, and she wants to run. Naraku can feel her body stiffening and he speaks softly, trying to soothe her. He doesn't want her to be afraid of him. Nothing of the sort, really.

After a moment Aurora manages to quench the panic and her body relaxes as she leans against him, missing his smirk.

For a moment they sit in silence, more or less enjoying each other's company, until Naraku speaks again. "When you looked at me in that corridor when I came, I saw panic in your eyes. Where did it come from? That look doesn't suit you."

"I do not know, my lord. I could not prevent it. As that samurai was approaching, this cold feeling crept inside of me. This feeling was not there when I faced the youkai."

He rests his head on top of hers. "Don't worry about those two anymore. Aurora, I know that you don't need protection as much as other women in these times. However, when you will need it, I'll be right here for you. I will protect you."

Only thing Aurora can do to response is to allow a faint smile to grace her lips and let out a small sigh.

* * *

The same evening Kagewaki is again bedridden and asleep. Aurora is on her knees by his head, keeping him company, when a samurai approaches the room. He kneels behind the shoji screen, announcing that a youkai has attacked the castle, but it will be taken care of. She should stay with the young lord.

The man leaves and Aurora starts to wait to receive news from the warriors. She waits patiently for someone to inform her that the youkai has been defeated. Aurora herself can feel the creature's youki from outside the castle, and has to fight not to leave Kagewaki's side to slay the youkai.

Soon enough the same samurai comes to inform that the youkai was driven away, but it would be likely for the creature to return. Hearing this Aurora strokes Kagewaki's dark hair gently, in an attempt to wake him up to tell the news. She knows that if this doesn't work, she shouldn't even bother.

It works and he opens his eyes, focusing them nearly right away at the young woman by her side. Aurora tells him of the youkai. "My lord, if you wish me to slay it upon its return, I will do so."

Naraku is about to reply, but the voice of the old lord of the castle prevents this. "No, Aurora. Leave it to the men of the castle. I want you to stay by my son." With these words he takes off, leaving the two in the room alone. Aurora hides a smile as she thinks that she's not sorry for having to stay. Not sorry at all.

* * *

The spider youkai returns the next evening, and the one after that. Finally the old lord of the castle sends a message to the village of skilled youkai exterminators (taijiya).

The young Kagewaki has not really left his bed since the first attack for he has felt that his body has been too weak. The healers of the castle think that this is because of the youkai, who is preventing him from getting better.

The next day they receive a message from the taijiya village, saying that a group of their best fighters are already on their way.


	3. Taijiya and A New Memory

AN: thanks for reviews! If some scenes seem familiar, they are from the series, slightly changed to fit the story. About Naraku romances: He's not really seen as a romantic person, so he's not easiest to write in a romance story. Another similar is Sesshoumaru, who will make an appearance in this chapter. Yes, this is Naraku/Aurora story, with some canon pairings.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach, just little miss Shinigami and her family.

Chapter 3

Sunset finds Aurora keeping company to Kagewaki, when a servant comes to inform that the exterminators have arrived. Kagewaki sends Aurora to check the group and return to him with her opinion of their abilities.

Aurora bows at him and hurries at the castle yard. In the yard the old master of the castle is with a group of men, all looking at the group of five taijiya. Aurora can see that three of these are grown men, but one of them is a boy, and another one is a young woman.

The woman shifts her gaze shortly to Aurora as she senses someone looking at him. Aurora's golden gaze meeting the slayer's brown, before they both turn their attention at the old Kagewaki, who had inquired about the two younger ones.

The leader tells that these are his son and daughter, who are among the best ones in their village. This information is enough for Aurora, who goes back to younger Kagewaki, telling him that the group should be able to defeat the youkai.

Kagewaki listens to her words carefully, and after she's finished he keeps his silence for a moment before turning his gaze at Aurora. "Why do you think my father doesn't want you to fight the youkai? You could defeat it within seconds. You've proven that."

"I do not know, my lord. Only possible reason which crosses my mind is, that you are protected, in the case that youkai could be able to enter the castle."

"True enough, but don't you think that would be easier if you were to destroy the creature while it's still outside?"

"I presume it would." Her eyes widen a bit as she realises something. "My lord, are you trying to tell me that your father is doing this on purpose?"

"Yes, I am. That thing out there is not my father, but a youkai who has taken over his body. I have suspected something like that for a while, my father have been acting weirdly for a while."

"That would make sense, my lord, however I have yet to sense youki coming from him."

"Try again now. You should sense two youkai at the moment."

Aurora closes her eyes and concentrates, right away sensing it. She opens her eyes, looking at Kagewaki. "Your suspicions were correct; I can sense two youkai at the castle yard."

"Bring my katana."

Aurora tilts her head to one side, not really understanding why he would want his Katana. His glare sends her outside the room, and she returns less than a minute later with his katana. Kagewaki is already on his feet and she gives the weapon to him.

The two move to the yard, only to be met by an unexpected sight. The youkai is dead, but so are the slayers. All of them. The woman even has a bunch of arrows embedded in her back.

Aurora blinks. _What is this?_ Before she can think of anything to say or do, she can feel youki coming from the old mater of the castle. Only a second later she witnesses how the young Kagewaki strikes with his katana at his father.

Everyone at the yard gapes at him, but he merely explains that a youkai had taken over the older man's body. He looks at slayers and gives an order to bury them in the corner of his garden.

* * *

After an hour or so Aurora leaves Kagewaki's room after he has fallen asleep. The healer had said that now that the youkai was gone, the young man would be better soon. 

She returns back to the old cherry tree, which has become her favourite tree in the entire garden. At first she merely stands in front of the tree, studying its leafs and stem, before she sits down leaning at the tree with her back. She closes her eyes, hoping once more her memories to return.

The more she thinks about trying to get her memories back, the more uncertain she has become, whether she actually _wants_ her memories to return or not. She likes this castle. She really does. With this thought another one crosses her mind. This one is saying that she also likes the young Kagewaki. She blushes at this though.

Her train of thought is stopped as she senses Kagewaki's aura approaching her. She stands up and heads for the main building, only to come to a halt as she hears sounds coming from the corner the slayers were buried at.

At the same time Naraku slides open the shoji door, only to see Aurora, who is gazing at the new graves. He looks at them too, noticing that the female slayer is crawling at his direction. _She is still alive?_

Aurora rushes to the woman. "It is unwise to move unless you wish for your wounds to worsen."

Naraku calls a couple of his servants to him. "Prepare a room for her and fetch the healer." As the servants run off to obey he turns to look at the two women, before he walks to them.

Aurora checks the other woman's injuries, finding out that the injuries aren't too bad. "My lord, my opinion is that she can be moved without risking her death." She turns to the other woman. "You are in safe now, and you will be all right."

Naraku touches Aurora's shoulder to get her attention. "Aurora, I need your speed. I've heard a rumour of a youkai who is about fifteen miles west from this castle. This youkai carries a healing sword. Bring either the sword or both to me. I warn you, he is strong, but I have faith in you."

Aurora bows at him. "Yes my lord." She rushes to change her clothes and to fetch her katana. Within five minutes she is already running through forests and plains with her Shunpo.

* * *

Finally Aurora can sense powerful youki coming from a clearing near her. As she stops by the tree line she can see a silver haired, white clad youkai, with red on his shoulder, and armour covering his upper body. Curiously she notices that his right shoulder is covered by a piece of fur.

Aurora tries to find the sword. Noticing that the only one she can see is at his sash. _The sword!_ She also realises something slightly surprising; the youkai's left sleeve seems to be empty. _What could have happened to him?_

She's still trying to figure out what to do, when he suddenly turns around, allowing her to see the blue crescent moon adorning his forehead, and the magenta twin stripes on his cheeks. She also gets a good look at his yellow-blue long sash, and spiked armour. She startles when he speaks.

"You behind the trees, did you think that someone with Naraku's smell on them could hide from this Sesshoumaru? Show yourself."

_Naraku?_ Aurora can't comprehend what the youkai is talking about, but she complies and steps in to the clearing, locking her golden orbs with his golden ones. "I am afraid I know not of this 'Naraku', but I am here under the orders of my lord."

In a blur of white he is in front of her, forcing her to retreat against the nearest tree. He gives her a cold glare, speaking with a cold voice. "Are you claiming that you do not know Naraku? Care to explain why you have his scent on you?"

"I speak the truth. I do not know a person called Naraku. I do not know how his scent can be on my person. I am not here to fight, rather I was ordered to retrieve a sword that can heal, and its carrier, to my lord."

"Your lord?"

"His name is Hitomi Kagewaki, and he is the young lord of the nearby castle."

"Pray tell, woman, could this young lord's scent be on you?"

She starts at the question, not quite understanding what the youkai is aiming at. "I consider that as a possibility." She thinks a moment longer about something she _does _understand. She's sure now. Kagewaki's aura has similarities with this youkai's aura. He really is a half youkai. "This Naraku... Care to tell me who he is?"

"He is a hanyou, and he and I have a score to settle."

"Is he evil?" He merely raises one eyebrow. "I will rephrase the question. Has he done terrible things, such as slaughtered innocent people?"

"Yes, he has."

"So he is evil. My lord is not evil, but he is the most warm hearted lord of the castle I have ever encountered." She 'forgets' to mention that he is the _only_ lord of the castle, aside with the man's father, she has ever met, according to her memories, at least.

Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes a fraction, deciding that her scent tells him that she's telling the truth. If this Kagewaki is Naraku, she doesn't know of it. "This Kagewaki, why does he want the Tenseiga?"

"Tenseiga?" Aurora muses. "I have heard that name before…" Her eyes widen considerably as another memory reaches her conscious.

* * *

_Aurora is in front of a tall taiyoukai, studying his golden eyes, silver hair, white kimono with blue markings, and two jagged purple lines on his cheeks. Her eyes are open wide as she stares at the glowing sword in his hands. "That sword…"_

_The taiyoukai smirks. "Tenseiga. It was forged from my fang, alongside with the Tessaiga."_

_"It…cut through my barrier. How can that be?"_

_"Tenseiga connects this world to the next. It can cut things that do not belong into this world. I presume you are one of them."_

_"Yes… I am a Shinigami."_

_The youkai grins. "Ah, that explains it. I'm known as Inu no Taisho. I'm the Lord of the Western Lands. And who might you be?"_

_"Aurora Sakura. Why… You could have slain me with that sword. I attacked you, and yet you decided to spare my life. Why is this so?"_

_"I do not kill without a reason. Why did you attack me?"_

_She glances at the bodies on the ground. "I saw blood on your blade and those bodies. I simply presumed that you attacked them."_

_He lets out a short laugh. "You didn't think that I might've killed the youkai who attacked these humans?"_

_Her cheeks turn red. "I apologize."_

_He shakes his head. "You don't have to. How could you have known?"_

* * *

A cold voice brings her back from her memories. "What are you? You are neither human nor youkai."

She blinks and meets his gaze. "I am a Shinigami. I was born in a place called Soul Society. I am a spirit entity, like my parents before me."

"My father told me of one he met. She attacked him, but he decided to spare her life, even though he had a weapon to kill her."

She tilts her head a bit. "You _do_ have similarities with the taiyoukai of my most recently returned recollection. Inu no Taisho was his name. He informed me of the Tenseiga, and its brother sword, the Tessaiga."

He gives her a blank stare, which somehow encourages her to continue. "A short while ago I was found nearby my lord's castle. Before that time, I have not had many memories of my life. Slowly I have been able to remember bits and pieces of the time before I was found. The name Tenseiga brought back one, of the incident between your father and myself."

"Tell me, Shinigami, are you going to obey you lord's command?"

"If I was, would you come with me, or give up your sword, peacefully?"

"Hn. I think not."

She grins. "Somehow I knew you would not. I will not fight you. I will figure out a way to do whatever he wanted that sword for." After this is said, she uses her Shunpo and heads back towards the castle.

* * *

As soon as Aurora reaches the castle she heads towards Kagewaki's aura. _Can Sesshoumaru be correct concerning my lord's identity? Is it possible that the kind young lord is this Naraku?_ He shakes her head, ridding herself from these thoughts.

She finds her kneeling at the head of the female slayer. "My lord, I have returned."

He turns to look at her, following her movements as she kneels next to him. "Aurora, did you find the sword?"

"Hai, my lord. I found the sword."

He frowns. "Why it is not with you?"

"I apologise, my lord. The youkai was too strong." Her gaze is at her lap.

"It matters not. It seems that Sango here doesn't need it after all. You may leave."

Aurora stands up and bows at him, before retreating back to her room. She is about to change her clothes before she senses something odd. She gets out of her room, trying to locate the source. As she walks towards it, Sesshoumaru's words circle around her head. _Kagewaki can not be that vile Naraku the youkai mentioned. However… How can Naraku's scent be on my person? I have not touched any other hanyou than... Kagewaki! _She grimaces inwardly. _That means that Kagewaki truly _is_ Naraku!_

She hurries towards the location the odd sensation is coming from, only to find it coming from Kagewaki's room. She slides the shoji screen open to see him sitting next to a wall. On a table next to the other wall she can see a wooden puppet. "My lord."

He looks at her. "Sango heard that a hanyou has attacked her village. She left the castle to seek vengeance."

"From whom did she receive such information?"

"My servant Naraku brought the message, and he also joined her in her trip."

Naraku. _That_ name she can recognise. And that puppet, she can feel youki coming from it, _his_ youki, to be exact. "My lord, the puppet. It is a demon puppet, is it not?"

"Yes."

"My lord, I need to ask you a question regarding information I received earlier today."

He pats the space next to her, urging her to sit down. She complies kneeling next to him, but she keeps her gaze on the floor. He touches her chin with his hooked finger, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You can ask anything, Aurora."

"The youkai who was carrying the healing sword caught a certain scent on my person. According to him, the scent belonged to a vile hanyou called Naraku. My lord, you are the only hanyou who I have been close enough for the scent to transfer on me."

He stiffens as he hears these words. One part of him wants to force her to forget the question, but the more reasonable part of him reminds him not to frighten her. He still can use the woman.

He captures her pleading gaze with his own, moving his hand to her cheek. "You wish to know the truth, Aurora? Very well. That puppet is the one who informed Sango of the destruction of her village. That demon puppet is Naraku, but so am I."

Aurora's eyes widen, but what for, he can only guess. She stays silent, so he decides to fill the silence. "Now that you know the truth, what are you going to do? Do you still wish to stay with me, or are you going to leave me?" His voice isn't revealing the little worry he feels inside. He still needs her. If he has no other choice, he will force her to stay.

Hiding these thoughts he continues in a quiet voice. "If you don't want to have anything to do with me, I won't blame you.

Aurora leans on his touch, closing her eyes for a moment. For a full minute she doesn't know what to say. When she does, she opens her eyes, raising her hand to cover his hand on her cheek. "My lord, it takes more than that to make me leave you."

He smiles at her shortly, before his face turns serious. "Do you hate me?"

"Iie, my lord. I do not feel hatred."

He strokes her cheek with his thumb. "In that case, I want you to follow Sango and the puppet. Don't let her die until Inuyasha is dead."

She nods to acknowledge, before retreating from his touch and rushing outside. As she travels towards the puppet's aura she isn't quite sure if she is going to return to the man she now know is Naraku.


	4. Meeting Inutachi and The Academy

AN: Thaks for reviewing! Glad you like it -smirk- Another fluff, and Aurora meets Inu-tachi... Oh, can you recognise her childhood friend? You'll find out later who he is. Scene in italics is a flashback.

DISCLAIMER: Bleach+Inuyasha, not mine.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Aurora observes from a short distance how white haired, red clad, dog-eared hanyou destroys Naraku's puppet. Turning her head a bit she can see Sango, who has been injured, but is still alive.

The Shinigami is about to leave, but is stopped when the hanyou looks straight at her. As she notices his eyes, she thinks of Sesshoumaru. _This must be Inuyasha._

The hanyou speaks. "Kagome, behind those trees. I can smell Naraku. Can you see shards?"

The miko shakes her head after a quick look. "Nope."

Aurora can see how the hanyou's hands tighten on his sword's hilt. Unwilling to fight, she decides to allow them to see her. "Be at ease, for I am not Naraku."

Inuyasha walks at her, stopping only few feet before her. "Who are you? Why do you smell like Naraku?" He sniffs at her and growls. "You also smell like Sesshoumaru!"

"I told you already, I will not fight. I met a youkai who called himself Sesshoumaru a some time earlier. I also have discovered recently that the person I got to know by another name is in fact this Naraku. My name is Aurora Sakura, and I presume you are Inuyasha."

"How do you know my name?"

"My… No, Naraku told me that the taijiya Sango was going to slay hanyou Inuyasha for attacking her village."

"That's what she said, too."

"That sword. It is the Tessaiga, is it not?"

"How did you…"

"I have seen it before, albeit it was with an older youkai."

"Who?" Somehow Inuyasha knows exactly who is she talking of, and it's not Sesshoumaru."

"He told me that his name was Inu no Taisho. I believe he is your father."

The hanyou's ears begin to droop. "He was my father. He died long time ago."

Aurora bows her head. "My condolences."

Inuyasha shakes his head. "There's no need to be sorry. I barely remember him." He becomes silent as he gets an idea. "Could you lead us to Naraku? He has done many bad things."

Aurora shakes her head 'no'. "I can not do such thing. I have to return to him for now, and I will not let you follow me to him. Earlier I was not sure if I would return to him, but I know I have to, if only this one time."

Sango approaches her carefully. "You were in that castle!"

She nods. "That is true."

"Does Naraku live in there?"

"Yes, he does."

"Then don't go back! Help us destroy him, please!"

Aurora turns her back on them for a moment before turning back, with cheeks tainted with pink. "I must go, for I have some things to deal with him. However, we will meet again. Maybe then I will join you." With these words she leaves.

The group gapes at her retreating form for a moment before Inuyasha speaks. "Keh! She knows what Naraku is, and is still protecting him!" He lets out a growl.

Kagome snickers. "Didn't you see her blush?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Silly, she's in love."

"What? In love with Naraku? How did that happen?"

"She told us she just found out of Naraku's true nature. I bet she has been in love longer than that."

"Women…"

"Inuyasha, sit!" Inuyasha meets the ground face first.

"Ack! What was that for?"

She doesn't even bother to reply.

* * *

Aurora returns to the castle, hurrying pass the warriors. Eventually she ends up face to face with Naraku. "My lord."

He is sitting near the wall, gazing at the view behind the windows. Upon hearing her words she turns to look at her. "I was just informed that neither of the two I sent was able to return. Is this true?"

"Hai, my lord. The group was able to destroy the puppet, and Sango is now a member of the hanyou's group."

He takes notice of her eyes which doesn't seem to look directly at him, but little pass him. "You thought of staying there, did you not?"

Aurora startles, wondering if he was able to read minds. "Yes I did, my lord."

"When I sent you out there, I suspected that you wouldn't return to me. Why did you return to me?"

After a moment of silence she replies to him, feeling that the truth could not hurt her. "My lord, I felt that I had to."

He raises one dark eyebrow. "Had to?"

Aurora had turned her face away from him, but as she felt a change in his aura she returned her gaze at him, finally meeting his red eyes. _Wait a minute… His eyes were brown._ She frowns and studies his new features. His once gentle brown eyes were replaced with red eyes with white pupils. His eyelids seem to have blue shadow on them.

After a moment of confusion she remembers that he actually asked a question. "My lord, that is a question I have no answer to. I merely felt that I was not able to stay there, even if I wanted to."

He snorts. "Then so be it. I'm going for a walk. Follow me if you want." He leaves the room, sliding the shoji door shut behind him. Aurora observes through the thin shoji screens how his silhouette changes to match that of the puppet. For a moment she hesitates, before leaving the room herself to follow him.

* * *

Silently the two walk side by side, shielded by the night, until they reach the castle outer walls. Naraku is the fist one to speak, after he removes his mask. "I know you followed me for a reason. If you wanted to ask if I did everything they told you I did, then the answer is most likely yes."

"That was not the question I seek answers to, my lord. I merely wish to know why you felt you had to hide your true identity from me."

He reaches out to place his hands on her shoulders. "I thought that if I did, you might leave me."

His words give her the creeps, but she chooses to ignore them as she closes her eyes. His hands on her shoulders give her a warm feeling, reminding her of what she feels for Kagewaki. Surprised she realises, that even though this baboon suit is creepy, the man inside it is still him.

Thinking of his words she wonders what he isn't telling her, and why. Doesn't he trust her? She shakes her head pushing the questions away. She can think of those later. Now she turns her eyes to meet his. Instantly the two are unable to avert their gazes.

Naraku gazes at her, trying to find out any sign that would tell that she is about to run. He decides that if she tries to, he will use a shard of the Shikon Jewel to keep her with him. He can't afford to lose a servant like her, not just yet.

Placing one of her hands on his on one of her shoulders, she smiles at him, reaching a decision. "My lord, I would like to stay in your service."

He nods and gives her a smile. This suits him well. "I'm glad of your decision, Aurora. Are you up to defeat one more youkai? The village on the other side of the northern woods is pestered by one with two shards. Bring them to me."

She merely inclines her head before leaving.

* * *

The youkai resembles human, but Aurora can recognise that aura anywhere. He's armed with a katana. Aurora senses that one of the shards is in that weapon, and the other one is in his forehead. She is standing in the village square, face to face with the youkai. Her own katana is drawn and she is in defensive stance, waiting for her opponent to make the first move.

The youkai chuckles. "So, they sent a girl this time, eh? You're coming, right? I would hate to wait for too long."

Aurora observes the youkai. He looks just like human, save for his pointed ears and sharp claws. The youkai can't fool her. She can pretty well see the shadow like form of a wolverine around him.

Without a warning, the youkai charges at her with his katana. The barrier created by Aurora's sword blocks the strike easily. His eyes widen as he realises that the shard in his sword didn't seem to do a thing against that barrier. Growling he takes his true form, attacking her again, this time with teeth and claws.

Aurora is about to take a step back, but prevents herself from doing so as some part of her tells her to let her training to take control. Se she does. Her feet move her with shunpo again, and she reaches him, thrusting her katana forward. It pierces his shoulder.

The youkai looks at the woman in front of him, and then his red gaze meets her golden eyes. He smirks. "You can't defeat me that easily."

"Is that so?" Aurora's katana begins to glow, purifying the creature. She sheathes her katana and picks up the shard which was imbedded in its forehead. She stares at his sword, confused. How was she supposed to take the shard from that?

Shrugging she picks up the sword, too, deciding that Kagewaki… err… Naraku would find a way to take the shard. With the two objects she rushes back to the castle.

* * *

Naraku is waiting for Aurora's return in his chambers, as Kagewaki. As he senses her approach he calls her name. "How did you do, Aurora?"

She slides the shoji screen open and enters the room. As soon as she is in front of her lord she kneels in front of him, holding out the youkai's katana and the shard. "The both shards are here, as my lord wished. One of them is in the katana, and I have no knowledge concerning possible ways to remove it."

He takes them and puts them aside. Aurora stands up, planning to leave the room, but is stopped by his voice. "Aurora, wait a minute."

She turns her head to look at him over her shoulder, not showing the sudden confusion on her face. _What is this?_

Naraku stands up and passes her. He halts at the doorway, looking at her. "Walk with me for a moment." Then he simply leaves, not staying long enough to hear her response.

Not that he should, for Aurora follows him right away. They walk to the garden, and as far as a stream which goes through this part of the garden. As they stand by the stream, in silence, listening to the sound of flowing water, a new memory reaches her mind.

* * *

_Three rows of young students are kneeling in one side of the kido training grounds, listening to the instructions for the today's practise. Aurora is in the last row, clad in red hakama and white and red kimono. This is the outfit for female students of the Academy. Men are wearing blue and white, but otherwise similar, outfits._

_Aurora shifts her feet impatiently, for she can't wait their instructors to arrive. This was always her best subject. She glances at the silent black haired young man kneeling next to her in their row. His grey eyes are closed and he seems to be quite content waiting._

_She grins. The boy had always been the patient one of the two. Her attention is directed back at the yard as their instructors arrive._

_Today they have three instructors in these lessons, one for each row. The first row is filled with the ones in their class who weren't so skilled in kido. The students in the second row are the ones who are around the average in the kido. She smirks. Their row is for the ones with advanced skills. Ones like her and her childhood friend._

_The first instructor, youngest of the three, steps forward. "First row! Approach the targets!" The first row stands up and approaches the circular targets on the other side of the yard. At the instructor's sign, they shout the incantation and technique name for the Art of Destruction, number 31, Red Flame Cannon, or Shakkahou._

_Some hit the targets, some don't, and the row moves to their original place. Then another instructor steps forward, directing his attention at the second row. "Second row! Approach the targets!" The students do as they're told and after a reminder from the instructor they skip the incantation, only shouting the technique name for the Art of Destruction, number 31._

_Amazingly many hit, but these are sixth rounders, so it is to be expected that the average students could do it. After that they move back to their places, and the oldest steps forward. "Third row! Show your skills! Approach the targets!"_

_The third row stands up and steps on front of the other rows. They skip the incantation for a slightly more difficult spell, shouting out the technique name of the Art of Destruction, number 33, Blue Fire Crash, or Soukatsui._

_The blue bursts of energy leave from the students' hands. All of them hit the targets, but only two of the targets are completely destroyed. These were targets for Aurora and the boy who is right next to her, her childhood friend.  
_

* * *

She is brought back to present as she hears a familiar voice coming from very near her ear. "Did you remember something?"

Aurora turns her head to the side, noticing that Kagewaki is standing behind her. "Yes my lord. I was in an academy of some sort."

He nods, wrapping his hands around her form from behind.

At first she stiffens, feeling compelled to run, but his soothing words in her ears helps her to relax and she leans back against him. She puts her hands over his. "My lord-"

He cuts her off. "Be at ease, Aurora. You don't have to say anything."

She blushes, but in a moment she closes her eyes in content, as he rubs his nose against her cheek. She still doesn't understand why she feels this way, especially now that she knows what he truly is. She just can't help it.

She has come to realise something, though. She believes now that he might be just doing this to keep her to get those shards to him. For some reason, she just doesn't care.


	5. Chat with Taiyoukai and Injured Hanyou

DISCLAIMER: Aurora is mine, no one else in this chapter

Chapter 5

The next days pass as Aurora spends them in the nearby villages, defeating youkai and retrieving jewel shards. At each sunset she goes to Naraku, and the two talks about things, inane and important, weather, youkai, Shikon, Aurora's memories, and so on.

Every evening Naraku holds her very close, and she doesn't feel compelled to run anymore. This, of course, was just what he wanted. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. You can't trust a frightened pawn to do your bidding, now could you?

At dawn, after one of these evenings, Naraku approaches Aurora during one of her evening walks. "Aurora, very soon I'll leave for another castle. I want you to protect this one, and the people in it. I'll return tonight."

As he sees that she is about to say something against his decision he reaches out and pulls her in his arms. "Don't argue me on this one. This is something I must do, alone. Stay here."

When he hears her quiet sigh he lets her go and starts to walk away, leaving a slightly confused girl to look at his back.

She stays still for a moment, not quite understanding why she wanted to go with him in the first place. Feeling a bit frustrated she decides to go and spar with a couple of the young samurai of the castle.

A minute later both of her opponents are lying on the ground, their weapons far from them. With a small groan she leaves the training grounds to take a walk in the garden.

* * *

An hour passes, and now bored Aurora can't stay inside the castle walls anymore, but leaves the castle to walk around the forests nearby. To the guards she says that she will return before Kagewaki.

At first she locates Naraku's aura and starts towards it, but is stopped by another familiar aura. _What is _he_ doing in here?_ She heads towards the other aura, stopping at a clearing in the forest to see a very familiar youkai. "Sesshoumaru, pray tell, why is a taiyoukai in these woods?"

The taiyoukai turns to look at the woman. "It is a long story, and not any of your business. Pray tell, why you still smell of Naraku? Did I not warn you of him?"

"Yes you did. You were not mistaken, lord Sesshoumaru. Kagewaki is truly Naraku." These words were not easy for her to say. After all, they meant that she was wrong.

Sesshoumaru takes in the look of defeat in her eyes, but before he can respond to her, another, quite irritating really, voice comes from behind him.

"Ah, here you are, Lord Sesshoumaru." Both other beings in the clearing turn to look at a toad-like creature who had spoken. "Why did you left your loyal-" He halts as soon as he notices the odd woman in his master's company.

She stares at the small youkai. _A kappa? Possibly._

The youkai stares back at her. "Who are you? You smell of Naraku!"

She doesn't have a chance to reply, as Sesshoumaru's voice manages to get the full attention from both other beings in the clearing. "Jaken."

Jaken gulps. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

The taiyoukai's gaze has remained at Aurora throughout the entire time, but now he throws a warning glance at his retainer. "Be quiet."

The toad shivers and bows at him. "Yes master."

Sesshoumaru turns his attention back to the woman. "So, Aurora. Now you know the truth. Interestingly enough, his scent is still on you. Care to explain?"

She nearly takes a step back when his eyes get harder, but she catches herself right in time. She takes a deep breath before replying. "His scent lingers on me, because I am still with him."

Jaken opens his eyes to say something, but is silenced by a glare from Sesshoumaru.

Satisfied that his servant will stay quiet, he approaches her until is standing only a few feet away. "Why is this so?"

She locks his eyes with her own. "I serve him because I owe him that much. He found me at a site of battle, and took me into his home, and took care of me."

He tilts his head a bit. "Do you not think you have repaid his kindness already?"

She blinks, surprised. She had never thought it that way. "I… I think I have." She notices him arching one of his eyebrows in question. "Are you concerned about me?" Also Jaken seems to be surprised as he gapes at his master.

The said master sighs inwardly. "Hn. No, I am merely curious."

He nearly smirks as he sees her cheeks begin to have some red on them, as he awaits her response. "I, err, like him. He has been good to me."

"You love him." That wasn't a question.

She gazes at him curiously. "Love? I know that I feel comfortable around him. But love, I do not know. I do not even know what love ought to feel like."

He lets out one of his half snorts. "Hn. If I am not mistaken, love is what you described. However, that does not interest me."

She shrugs, before her face turns serious. "I came to you so that you could tell me what your father must have told you of the Shinigami he met. That Shinigami truly was me."

"You still remember nothing?" He sits down on the ground, expecting a long conversation. He's not quite sure why is he doing this, but his father respected the Shinigami, and that should be good enough reason for him to help her.

She follows his example before responding. "I have been able to recall merely a few events of my past. This jewel on my forehead is still a mystery, as is my sword. I find it odd, that the katana seems to be trying to talk to me, but I have yet to understand it well enough."

He is quiet for a moment before opening his mouth. "I can only tell you what chichi-ue told me. You had told him that your katana is a Soul Slayer, or Zanpakto, which is the only weapon that should be able to harm souls, such as Shinigami themselves. You also had told him that each Soul Slayer has a name of their own. You told him the name of your weapon, but I have already forgotten it.

"As for the jewel on your forehead, you had explained to chichi-ue that it is a seal, which is capable of binding something you got via your family blood behind it. I believe it was 'incontrollable spirit force', or that was the term you had used. You had also told him, that even without the seal you could keep this spirit force at bay, until certain limit. According to him, if you were ever to lose control of it, the energy would destroy everything around you."

At this point he quieted for a moment, noticing her widened eyes. "You had explained to him that your sword would act as a seal for a moment, to prevent this from happening."

She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "What do you know of the stripes?"

He closes his eyes. "Apparently they form an armour against some weapons. They also are a sign that the seal is working."

Aurora stores this in her memory before inclining her head at the youkai. "I thank you for the information you gave me. I have one more question." She glances at him expectantly, and seeing his slight nod she continues. "Are you aware of methods that might assist me in recalling my past?"

He shakes his head 'no', before speaking. "I can merely give you an advice, Shinigami. Try harder to listen to your sword. Maybe it will help. And if it does not help, I am sure that your sword will tell you everything you need to know."

Aurora thanks him and both stand up simultaneously, leaving the clearing. Sesshoumaru heads off somewhere with Jaken, and Aurora uses her Shunpo to get to the castle before Naraku would be there.

* * *

As soon as she reaches the castle she realises that she's late. Naraku is already back. She hurries through the castle to reach his room as soon as possible. Reaching it, she only lightly knocks at the side before sliding the shoji screen open and stepping in. The sight in front of her makes her cringe.

Naraku is lying on his futon, and a young boy is standing next to him. _I recognise this boy… He is one of the youkai exterminators who were killed!_ To her surprise she can sense a shard of the Shikon in the boy's back. Her musings are interrupted by Naraku's voice.

"You are late, Aurora." He turns to look at the boy. "You may go, Kohaku." The boy bows and leaves. When the shoji screen slides shut, Aurora thinks about the vacant expression of his eyes. _If I was to escape, would he control me like that as well?_

Inwardly shaking her head to clear her thoughts she returns her attention to the hanyou. "My apologies, my lord. I was coming to you, when I sensed youki, and went to investigate."

He looks at her curiously. "Did you find any shards?"

"Iie, my lord. The youkai had no shards with them." Aurora halts as she notices something odd. His body from neck below seems to be unnatural. "What happened to you, my lord? That body of yours… Demon puppetry, is it not?"

He flashes her a humourless smirk. "Well noticed, Aurora. I met the inu hanyou's group. Their miko managed to hit me with her arrow. Don't worry about it, Aurora. I'll get a new one soon enough."

Aurora falls to her knees next to him, and reaches out to grab his hand. Then she lifts it next to her cheek, rubbing it gently against it. "I should have been there, my lord."

He smiles at her. "I left you here to protect the others and to be in safe."


	6. Memories Returned and Kikyo

AN: Sorry for the delay! About pairings: Main focus is Naraku/Aurora, and I haven't decided yet any other pairings. The parts completely in italics are memories, of two different days. Oh, contains fluff...

DISCLAIMER: Bleach, Inuyasha: not mine. Sakura's are. If certain parts seem familiar, they are modified scenes from the series. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

During the next few days Aurora stays by Naraku, leaving his side only if necessary. During the time she allows no one into the room, making sure that he will not be disturbed.

This is changed when a woman in miko garb forces her way into the room. As she enters Aurora gets to her feet, planning to take her out, but is stopped by Naraku's voice. "Aurora, could you get me some water?"

She glances at him, and then at the woman, receiving an odd glare from her, before inclining her head in affirmative and leaves the room.

As she returns a moment later the woman is gone, and he is lying on his futon, staring at the roof. She clears her throat, gaining his attention. "My lord, who was she? Her body was... odd. As if she would not have really been alive."

Naraku reaches to take the glass she is offering to him before speaking. "Her name is Kikyo, and she died half a century ago. I see that someone resurrected her."

Aurora kneels by him. "Resurrected, you say? She must be using souls to allow her body to move. I sensed multiple within her."

He glances at her, confusion written on his face, before he understands. "That's right. You're a Shinigami, thus you can sense the souls. Which reminds me... Have you remembered anything else?"

For a moment she's quiet, trying to decide what to tell him. Soon enough she nods. "Hai, my lord, I have." He glances at her curiously, not missing her pause. She ignores the glance and starts to tell the parts she decided she could tell.

"I met the old Lord of the Western Lands, he who was known as Inu no Taisho." Naraku tilts his head to one side, so she explains. "It appears that time for Shinigami does not go forward the same way it does for humans."

He grins. "I see. So, have you learned anything of your sword or that jewel?"

She hesitates a moment again, before deciding that the truth wouldn't hurt her. "It appears that the jewel acts as a seal. I have received information from a reliable source, letting me know that the members my family appears to be born with spirit energy that is controlled by jewels like mine."

She bows her head as she remembers what Sesshoumaru had told her what would happen if the reiatsu would go out of control. "Without the seal I might lose control over it. If this was to happen, everything around me would be incinerated."

His eyes widen at this, and he reaches out a hand to touch hers, encouraging her to continue, but instead of continuing of the seal, she changes the subject to her sword. "The sword is known as Zanpakto, or Soul Slayer, and it is considered to be the only type of weapon that can harm spirit entities, such as myself."

"You hesitated. Why?" He looks at her face curiously, trying to see her expression. Yet, her face shows none.

"My lord, I have yet to remember my past. I did not wish to burden you with information that might not be accurate. I only deemed the information accurate enough after remembering that it was given by someone who would not have a reason to tell me inaccurate information."

He is about to ask her where she got the information from, but seeing worry flashing in her eyes, he decides against it, and changes the subject. "And those stripes?"

She almost sighs from relief. "They are a sign that the seal is active. They also act as an armour against certain weapons."

The two are silent for a moment, until Naraku speaks, surprising Aurora with his question. "Are you afraid of dying?"

Her eyes widen in surprise as her gaze meets his, noticing that he is waiting for her to reply. She closes her eyes for a moment, thinking about the answer she is going to give to him. Is she afraid? "Iie, my lord. Why did you ask such a question?"

He takes her both hands into his own. "Because, in the future you might have to face powerful enemies. You might die. I just needed to know."

Some days pass, but Naraku is still on his futon, watched over by Aurora. She takes her job to keep him company quite seriously, staying by his bedside. As he's asleep, she stays awake, at times glancing at his sleeping face, but the rest of the night she does as Sesshoumaru suggested.

She holds her sheathed katana on her lap, trying to listen to the voice she knows comes from it. She can tell that there are several separate words in there, but she never gets the words themselves.

* * *

Then, finally, Naraku gets to his feet one morning, and is confronted by worried Aurora right away. "My lord, you should not…" 

She is stopped by his sigh. "Aurora, don't worry, I feel better. Tonight I will get a new body. When I leave tonight, I want you to stay inside the outer walls. Do you understand me?"

Aurora closes her eyes and sighs. "I understand. I dislike the order, but I will obey."

Naraku smiles a bit, before leaning to press his lips on her forehead. Her reaction is instantaneous. The moment his lips touch her forehead, her eyes fly open and a tint of red spreads across her cheeks.

* * *

Evening comes and Naraku has left to get his new body. Aurora gets bored almost immediately and leaves her room to walk in the castle garden. She heads for the stream that flows through the garden, intent to try and listen to her sword once more. 

She reaches the stream soon, and sits down by it. She unsheathes her sword and holds it in her lap. Closing her eyes, she tries to listen carefully to understand what the sword is saying to her.

During the first fifteen minutes she only gets the usual humming sound, until suddenly a clear voice tells her to remove the jewel from its place for a moment. Aurora glares at the sword. _I thought the jewel was supposed to be a seal. How do you expect me to control my reiatsu if I can not remember how I was taught to do so?_

The tone of the sword's response is a bit impudent. _You might not remember it, but your body will._

Aurora sighs. The sword does have a point. After a moment of hesitation she decides to trust the sword and her hand removes the jewel with its chain from her forehead.

The moment the jewel leaves, the stripes on her skin flash, before they disappear. She can feel how something inside her tries to get out. Just when she thinks that she can't hold it in any longer, her memories start to return.

Memories of her childhood, her family, her friends, her training, and her life fill her mind.

* * *

"_Sakura, Kuchiki. Well done, again." The two turn to look at their sensei, bowing slightly at him. Their results in the kido training were once again the best in the Academy._

_Their sensei dismisses the class and the two leave to spend their break together, just like they had done for years. As they have reached their favourite place in the Academy grounds, a stream flowing by several sakura trees, they begin to talk of their future plans._

_"Byakuya, I have heard that I should attempt to get a position in the Royal Special Task Force. Are you going to join me?" Her golden eyes are directed at him._

_At her words his grey gaze meets her golden. "Even Captains in the Task Force work in the field daily. As the heir of the Kuchiki house I am not certain if I have the time for such tasks."_

_Aurora gives him a 'hn' before replying properly. "I am the heiress of the Sakura house. So, would I not have as many responsibilities?"_

* * *

_Her father's voice fills her mind, as she is kneeling in front of him, next to Byakuya, who is facing his father. Both heads of the houses are carrying sheathed katanas. "Aurora, this was made for you to when waiting for this day, your graduation."_

_He holds out the katana with golden hilt wrap for her to take. She bows before accepting it. "I will take care of her."_

_Next the head of the Kuchiki house holds out the katana with white hilt wrap. "This was made for you, Byakuya."_

_The boy takes it, bowing a bit. "I will take care of her."_

_Since the both graduates said the same thing, the two older men look at each other, and Gabriel Sakura speaks. "So, you both already know that much of your Soul Slayers? Do you know their avatars or abilities yet?"_

_ Neither of the younger ones missed the sarcasm in his voice. They exchange a glance, before speaking._

_Aurora goes first, since it was her father who made the question. "Her name is Moonflower, that is all I know this far."_

_After her, it's Byakuya's turn. "Her name is Senbonzakura. This is all I know."_

_The older men exchange a glance, both holding back a sigh. Seriously, the two had spent too much time together._

* * *

Aurora shakes her head to return to the present day. She pushes the power back with ease, now remembering everything. Well, most of it. She still has no idea how she got in the Feudal Times, since she remembers it being 21st century… 

She returns the jewel to its place, before turning to her Soul Slayer. "I thank you, Moonflower." The sword's avatar, a unicorn, is now standing next to her.

Aurora turns to look at the unicorn as it speaks. "At last. I take it that not all of your memories are back?"

She shakes her head 'no'. The unicorn seems to sigh. "I believe I have tried to warn you about Naraku."

She smiles faintly. "You are not the only one."

Another sigh. "Will you listen to anyone when it comes to him?"

Aurora glances at the unicorn with an annoyed look on her face. "I know now who I am, and I do know that I am stronger than he is. As far as I remember, the taiyoukai known as Inu no Taisho is the only youkai who has been able to penetrate my barrier. Your barrier. Before him, only Chichi-ue has succeeded in it. A hanyou such as Naraku will not be a threat to me."

Suddenly the unicorn seems to smile. "You are in love with him." That wasn't a question, but a statement. "His feelings are merely a lie. He wants to use you."

It's Aurora's turn to sigh. "I do appreciate your concern, however I will be fine. I am aware of what he is doing. He does not frighten me."

With a sigh the unicorn disappears. Aurora sheathes her sword, thinking about one thing. _How much to reveal to my- No, he is no longer that. How much can I reveal to Naraku? Everything? No. My name, and Moonflower's. But… what if he asks? My honour will not allow me to lie to him. _

Aurora returns inside the castle near midnight. She walks around the castle, pondering over what she remembered. Then suddenly she senses two auras. One of them belongs to Naraku, and the other one is... Her eyes widen as she recognises it. _What is the priestess Kikyo doing in here?_

She goes to the castle yard, only to meet just landed Naraku with seemingly unconscious miko in his arms. "What is this?"

Naraku ignores her sudden lack of using the title 'my lord'. "She might be useful. Arrange a futon and a room for her.

Aurora merely inclines her head, before rushing back in. Then she waits at the room, for Naraku to come. Soon enough he comes and puts the miko to the futon.

When he's done he looks at Aurora. "I'm going to change clothes. Guard her, and don't let any of her Shinidamachuu to get in." He notices the slightly confused look on her eyes. "Her Soul collectors."

He leaves and Aurora turns her attention to the woman. She seems to be unconscious, but Aurora is certain that she is awake. As the shinigami senses approaching souls she looks at the windows, noticing insect like youkai approaching. They are carrying souls.

_These are the Shinidamachuu, then? _Aurora raises a temporary barrier on the window, blocking them. Soon enough another barrier rises. This one was lifted by Naraku, who comes to the room, his attention at Aurora.

"Aurora, there a shards nearby. Get them." Aurora only inclines her head, before she leaves the castle.

* * *

As Aurora approaches the shards she senses a familiar youki. _Inuyasha?_ Before she has time to wonder his reasons for being there she finds their group, nearly colliding with Inuyasha. 

"Aurora!" The hanyou can't really hide his surprise. After all, she travelled faster than her scent.

"Inuyasha. I see that you have shards in your possession." Her eyes are turned at Kagome, who's carrying the shards.

Inuyasha notices the look and lets out a small growl. "Try to take them…"

Aurora waves her hand. "Do not worry about it. I will find other shards."

Inuyasha glances at her, careful hope in his eyes. "Why wouldn't you bring them to us?"

Aurora's response causes his ears to flatten against his head and another growl to escape his throat. "I was asked to bring them to Naraku."

Kagome clears her throat, looking at Aurora. "He took a miko as his prisoner. Is she all right?"

Aurora narrows her eyes a bit at her, noticing something, before she replies to the young miko. "You two look like each other. A lot. As for how she is doing, she is fine. I believe she knows what she is doing."

Now it's the monk's turn. "You promised to join us upon our next meeting."

She nods. "My apologies, but I can not keep that promise yet. At the moment, if I was to join your group, you will be in danger, and so will I."

Kitsune jumps to sit on her shoulder. "Help us save Kikyo from Naraku. What is he going to do to her?"

Aurora lifts the little fox youkai to her arms. "My best guess is, that Naraku is planning to use her to get the shards. However, he also considers Kagome as a threat. I believe that Kikyo allowed herself to be captured. What is she planning, I do not know. I can not assist you in rescuing her, not at the moment."

She then holds the cub towards Kagome, who takes him in her arms. "As soon as the circumstances allow, I will join you."

With this, she turns to leave, but is stopped by a hand on her arm. She turns her head to see who had touched her, only to see Kagome. "What is it, miko?"

Kagome looks at her, with serious look on her face. "You like him, don't you?"

Aurora allows a small smirk to cross her lips. "I do admit that I do care for him. I am also aware that the feelings he seems to have for me are nothing more than an act to keep me with him, to control me. However, most of my memories have returned. I will not allow him to control me. I will make my decisions."

Kagome drops the hand that was touching Aurora's arm to her side. "Your memory is back?"

"Most of it. I still have no recollection of how it was possible that I woke up in the past, but everything else I have remembered. He does not know. Until we meet, sayonara." Before anyone in the hanyou's group can ask her about her waking up 'in the past', she is gone.

* * *

Upon arriving to a clearing in the woods Aurora sees a group of youkai harassing a human. In a flash, Aurora is in between the youkai and the woman who has her back against a tree. She can sense that the woman has some shards. 

Angered by the interfering woman, the largest youkai growls. "Give the human to us. Then you will both die quickly."

Aurora responds by drawing her katana. She holds it in front of her, blade aligned with the ground. Then she whispers words to control the shikai form of her Soul slayer. "It's time for you to bloom, Moonflower."

At her command, the Zanpakto takes the form of a naginata. The blade is length of a katana blade, and coloured silver, while the pole itself is golden. A pitch black ribbon is tied to the place where the blade connects with the rest of the weapon.

Aurora smirks at the dumbfounded youkai. "Retreat, and I will show you mercy. Attack, and there will be nothing left to show mercy to."

Smallest of the youkai attacks, being immediately purified as the side of the naginata's blade touches it. Then two others attack from sides, only to be purified in an instant. The rest of the youkai retreat a bit, giving Aurora a chance to grab the woman and escape. Without the woman to protect, she would've stayed and defeated the rest, but she couldn't allow her to get hurt.

Soon enough, courtesy of Aurora's shunpo, the two are pretty far. As soon as they have stopped, Aurora turns to look at the other woman. "Are you all right?"

"Thank you!" She is still shaking from the frightening situation she experienced. As soon as she calms down a bit, she takes a small pouch from inside her kimono. Aurora can sense at least five shards. "This is what they were after." She holds the pouch out for Aurora to take. "Please, take these. I don't want them to come after me or my family because of these."

Aurora accepts the pouch. "I will take care of them. Is there some place I could take you to?"

The woman shrugs. "It depends where we are at the moment."

Aurora thinks about this for a moment. "A two days walk east from the clearing."

She smiles. "No wonder those rocks seemed familiar. I was coming this way."

The shinigami nods. "I can escort you to the village."

The other woman merely smiles. "There's no need. Without those things I should be in safe. Arigato gozaimasu and sayonara!"

* * *

A few moments later Aurora returns to the castle. After looking for the hanyou for a minute she finds him sitting in a spare room by the window. "I found five shards." He tosses the pouch to Naraku, who accepts it. 

If he noticed that she missed 'my lord' again, she doesn't show it. "Any trouble?"

"Only minor. The human woman who had them was chased by youkai. After I rescued her she was willing to give the shards over to me." She notices a broken puppet. "A puppet, yet again? Now that I think of it, where is the miko? I am not able to sense her.

He grimaces. "I sent her and the puppet to retrieve a larger piece of the Jewel. She destroyed the puppet."

She sits down next to him, leaning against his arm. "So, she did know what she was doing." She lets out a sigh.

He turns his head to look at her worriedly, before putting his arm around her and pulling her closer to him. "What's wrong?"

She hesitates for a moment, before deciding to tell the truth. "My memory, it's coming back."

He blinks. This he didn't expect. Though, this might be good for his attempts to keep her. "Really?"

She sighs. "I remember my childhood, my family, and my training. I was born a long time ago in the Soul Society to a family called 'Sakura'. The name of my Zanpakto is Moonflower and she can purify youki with a mere touch. At least it can do this to the weaker ones. This weapon is meant to purify souls that have lost their hearts, rather than physical beings."

Naraku glances at the shards. So many are still missing. His ponderings are interrupted by Aurora who jumps to her feet. "What is it?"

She doesn't even look at him. "Stay where you are. Someone came through your barrier."

Just when Aurora has said the last word, a woman slides the door open. Kikyo. Aurora lowers her hand to the hilt. Kikyo merely looks at her, amused. "Move aside, girl. I have something for Naraku." Before Aurora can react, she has tossed something shiny by her.

Aurora turns around, only to see a chunk of the Shikon in front of Naraku, next to his own piece. That chunk looks familiar. Her eyes widen as she recognises it. Kagome had that one! She whirls around to glare at Kikyo, but is stopped by Naraku's voice. "Aurora, go and train."

She glances at him, surprised, but decides to obey. She leaves the room and ends up to the training grounds after a minute. At this hour it's empty, so she decides to practice her kido.

She realises that her body is semi-physical right now, that's why everyone can see her. So, she decides to take her true form, the soul form, and try to see if she can do some of the stronger spells.

Balls and bursts of energy leave her hands obediently, hitting their targets. And destroying them. She sighs. It seems that she really doesn't need practice in kido. She takes her semi-physical form again, as she sees Kikyo leaving.

For a moment she is tempted to follow the miko, but then she decides to find Naraku. Kikyo gave Naraku the very thing he wants. What is she thinking? According to what she knows, he killed her to get the Jewel.

Aurora finds him in his chambers holding a huge piece of the Shikon Jewel. That piece is bigger than the others, and she realises that this is all his shards combined. It's nearly a complete sphere. "The Jewel…"

He turns his gaze at her. "Kikyo wants to help me to gather this. I just can't understand her motives. But that aside, I have a mission for you."

She looks at him curiously. "You wish for me to follow the miko?"

He smirks. "No, she won't leave the village. I want you to leave the castle tomorrow morning, and to travel fast and far to find the rest of the shards. Don't come back until you have as many shards as you can find."

She frowns at him, and he stands up and takes her face in between his hands. He locks his gaze with hers. "Aurora, the sooner the Shikon is completed, the better." Then his lips connect with her lips.

Forgetting her arguments of not leaving, she responds to the kiss, knowing that she can't let go of him. He's dangerous, but she just can't… This thought is also soon forgotten as the kiss continues.


	7. Rin and Resolve

AN: Sorry for delay, and the shortness of chapter. If certain scenes seem familiar, they're pretty much from Inuyasha episode 35. I just adapted them a bit. Oh, and don't worry, I'm not turning this into Sesshoumaru/Aurora -grin-

DISCLAIMER: only Aurora is mine. Inuyasha isn't.

Chapter 7

Aurora has circled the area fairly close to Naraku's castle for few days already, and has yet to find any shards. She is currently standing by a river, trying to sense shards. After a moment she senses one, but it's coming from a longer distance, it seems. She smirks, not worrying about the distance, really. With her Shunpo, she'll reach it soon.

However, after first half an hour of constant flash steps, she slows down, panting. After a few more steps she finally stops, unable to continue. She walks to a tree closest to her, sitting down by it, back against the trunk.

Waiting for her strength to return she takes her soul form, and allows her gaze to wander, yet keeping her other senses alert of her surroundings.

As her gaze finds a pair of small birds sitting side by side on a lower branch of the tree across from her, she notices how they are cleaning each other's feathers. This brings out a memory of certain kiss.

_That… That hanyou! _She would curse him if she wasn't a noble lady. All her reasoning for why she would've been better to stay in the castle, with him, wiped out the moment their lips locked. She closes her eyes, as her cheeks receive a nice shade of pink.

After resting a few hours Aurora is heading towards the shard again, although only an hour more. This time she stops suddenly, and not because of tiredness. No, she stops because she senses something familiar. _What is Sesshoumaru doing in here?_

She stays still for a moment, pondering whether to go and speak to the youkai, or to continue her hunt. She can faintly smell blood in the wind, and makes her decision. She can return finding the shards later. The youkai could be hurt and in need of assistance. Though she suspects that he wouldn't even admit being hurt, but she decides to check anyway.

* * *

Soon enough she stops on the border of a clearing. It appears she found him. The youkai is lying against a tree, leaning onto the fur pelt she has seen wrapped around his right arm, armour broken and cloths stained with blood. She can only wonder what could be strong enough to do this to him.

Suddenly her attention goes to a girl who is approaching the youkai warily. The human girl is carrying a large leaf. She notices that the leaf has something on it, something that looks like a fish and some mushrooms.

The Shinigami observes the girl as she lowers the leaf and the food on it near Sesshoumaru, who states that her generosity would be wasted, for he didn't eat human food. The girl sighs sadly, before she leaves the clearing.

Aurora's eyes follow the girl, waiting for her to get far enough. She doesn't want to scare her, so as soon as she can no longer see the girl, Aurora approaches the youkai, who turns his head to look at her at the moment she steps out of the woods.

She walks at her, coming to a halt out of his claws reach the moment he growls in warning. "What happened to you, Sesshoumaru?"

He turns his face away from her, closing his eyes. "Inuyasha was able to master Tessaiga's Wind Scar."

She kneels at the place she is before speaking again. "Your father told me of the Wind Scar, and its ability to slay one hundred youkai in one strike." She tilts her head to one side. "How it is possible that you are alive after receiving such hit?"

Sesshoumaru opens his eyes, and instead of replying with words, his gaze flickers to Tenseiga on his sash, before finding her eyes.

Aurora understands soon enough. "Tenseiga did not allow its brother to harm you. A magnificent sword."

He only gives her an 'hn'.

She glares at him before deciding to change subject. "The girl, who is she?"

He holds her eyes, trying to find her reason for these questions. Finding nothing he decides to humour her. "She has yet to utter a word, let alone tell me her name. She found me here yesterday." He narrows his eyes at her realizing that he has one question to her, as well. "What are _you_ doing here, shinigami?"

She shrugs. "I was looking for the shards of the Shikon Jewel when I sensed your youki."

His voice reveals the slight confusion his face fails to show. "You discontinued your assignment, without a doubt given by Naraku, for this Sesshoumaru?"

It's her turn to give him an 'hn'. "I merely postponed completing my task in order to thank you."

Sesshoumaru gazes at the woman. _What is she talking about? _Then he remembers. "I take it that my little advice was successful. Has your memory returned?"

She closes her eyes. "Yes. Only memory that has yet to return is of the event that caused this. I still am unable to recall how did I end up in the past the way I did."

He narrows his eyes at his words. "In the past?"

Her eyes open and meet his. "I came here from half a century in the future."

For a moment he can only stare at her, incredulously. Then he speaks. "How can this be true? Do not lie to this Sesshoumaru."

Now it's her turn to narrow her eyes. "I am not lying. I do not know how this happened, however it did happen."

Sesshoumaru can't sense any lies and decides to change the topic of the discussion. "Naraku's scent is still on you."

He doesn't miss the faint blush on her cheeks as she replies quietly. "I am very fond of him."

His next words get her full attention. "He is a mere hanyou, and you are a shinigami. He is beneath you."

"But…"

He glares at her, silencing her effectively. "The shinigami chichi-ue met was a member of the nobility. Where is that shinigami now? Do not let him manipulate you. By doing so you are dishonouring your family, as well as all the nobles."

All she can do is to seethe at him. _How dares he? _If she was a youkai, she would be growling at him. After a moment she realises that he's telling the truth. "Again, you are correct. I should not let him do this, especially now that I am aware of who I am."

The two are in comfortable silence for better part of an hour before Aurora speaks again. "I would like to keep you company until your retainer is able to locate you."

He glances at her, before moving his eyes to lock on a tree across from him on the other side of the clearing. "Do as you wish."

* * *

The next morning the little girl comes again, this time a leaf she's carrying is loaded with some kind of greenery Aurora can't recognise. A quick look at her youkai companion tells her that he's not looking at the girl at all.

From Sesshoumaru her gaze goes to the girl again, and this time she almost gasps. Before glancing at the youkai, she had only looked at the leaf the girl had, but now she sees her face. Her beaten face, really.

Before she can question her of the injuries, Sesshoumaru beats her to it. "I told you, I don't need anything from you." Aurora can swear that his voice was gentler than before than he had spoken to the human.

The girl seems to ignore his words as she approaches him, leaving what she was carrying right next to him. Now he speaks again, eyes still trained into something in front of him. "Who gave you those bruises?"

Noticing the girl's silence he finally turns to look at her. Now she flashes him a wide, gap toothed smile. His voice turns blunter. "What are you smiling about? I just asked you a question. I don't care, I'm just curious."

She continues smiling before glancing at the shinigami in her semi-physical form. Aurora nods at her, and she leaves.

Aurora scoots nearer to the youkai. "Adorable child."

He glares at her. "She is a human. They are of no importance to this Sesshoumaru."

She shrugs. "They are of no importance to shinigami, either. We do not care of their bodies, but their souls."

He gives her another 'hn', before getting fluidly back to his feet. "I will head off to find my retainer. Are you planning to follow me?"

Another shrug. "I will accompany you for a while, since at the moment I have nothing important to do."

He picks up his fur pelt and places it to its original spot. Then he speaks again. "Then what will you do? Going back to Naraku or to find more shards for him?"

She flashes him a grin. "That was the plan, however I recalled that I have a promise to keep. A promise to join your half brother's group."

He gives another of his half snorts. "You will help Inuyasha to gather the shards so that he could become a full youkai."

She narrows her eyes at him. "Shikon has souls within it, locked in a battle. Souls are my duty. I am not going back to Naraku just yet."

He gives her another 'hn' before sniffing the air and starting to walk towards the direction he can sense Jaken's and the two headed dragon' scents coming from. Aurora follows him at first, before deciding to walk by his side.

* * *

After a short reunion, which included two stones hitting Jaken, Sesshoumaru suddenly becomes alert. "Blood, and wolves." He turns to look at the dragon. "Ah-Un, stay here and wait for our return."

He is sure he recognises the blood, but doesn't mention it as he starts to walk away from the clearing, followed by Aurora and Jaken.

Soon enough they find the same little girl who had been trying to help Sesshoumaru. She's lying on the ground, apparently dead. Aurora walks to the body, crouching by her.

She glances at the pall bearers, knowing that she shouldn't do anything. She turns her gaze at Sesshoumaru. "Even if I might be able to do something for her now, I am bound by our laws. I am only allowed to wait until her soul has been separated from her body. Then I can guide it forward to the Soul Society."

He just listens to her words, and then his retainer's, who states that she was apparently killed by wolves, by one bite. Deciding to test Tenseiga he unsheathes the sword.

As soon as the sword is out of its sheath, Aurora moves out of the way. The blade wouldn't cut physical beings, but she really wasn't one, now was she? She wonders why he would unsheathe it, before she remembers one thing Inu no Taisho told her. _By slaying the pall bearers that separate soul from the body, Tenseiga can resurrect the dead._

She observes how Sesshoumaru slashes the blade right above the girl's body, slaying the pall bearers in the process. Then he sheathes the sword and kneels by the girl, who suddenly moves, alive again.

The girl opens her eyes and looks at the youkai who is holding her upper body up. She stands up, her gaze locked with the youkai's. He stands up, and turns around to start walking towards the clearing they left the dragon to wait for them.

The little human stares at his retreating back for a moment before running to catch up with him. Aurora follows right behind her and the shocked retainer follows a bit after that.

As soon as the group has reached the dragon, Aurora approaches Sesshoumaru. During the walk here she had trying to decide what to do next. She could always stick with the taiyoukai a while longer, or she could leave to keep a promise.

Sesshoumaru turns to look at the shinigami who's looking at him with an odd look on her face. "Shinigami, if you have something to say, say it."

Aurora is barely able to prevent herself from flinching. She gets over her surprise fairly quickly. "I am leaving your company. I return to my task of finding the shards. However, I will not give them to Naraku. He can not be allowed to get his hands on the completed Shikon no Tama."


	8. Kouga and Detachments

AN: I've kept you waiting long enough... Sorry! If some of the scenes look from familiar, they are slightly altered from the series to suit this fic.

DISCLAIMER: Bleach and Inuyasha belong to their creators, not me. Aurora is mine, though.

Enjoy!

Chapter 8

Aurora can sense the presence of a shard of the Shikon Jewel, and alongside with that there's also sense of youki and priestess powers.

A seconds later she gets as close as she can without being noticed. She stops nearby something that could be den of youkai wolves, by the look of the youkai guarding it. The wind is coming from her direction, but she's in her soul form, so her scent won't reach them.

She can't really sense the shard now, but the priestess's aura seems to be coming from the cave. It resembles that of the girl Kagome, and there's also another familiar aura, that of a kitsune. The cub that had been travelling with Inuyasha?

She startles as she hears noise from the den. Her eyes turn to look at the den, and she sees Kagome dashing from the cave with the kitsune and a spear. She follows the miko and the kitsune with her Shunpo, but doesn't allow them to notice her, by using another path that follows the pair's path from higher ground.

Finally Kagome reach a ledge, the wolf youkai right behind them. Kagome tosses the kitsune off the ledge, and he turns into a huge ball, before flying away. The youkai tries to stop him, but Kagome prevents this by using her spear. The kitsune is able to escape, but the spear is lost in the process.

As the youkai approaches Kagome, Aurora decides to interfere and jumps from her place and ends up between the youkai and the miko, facing the youkai. "Let her be. If you should fail to do so, you will not live to see next sunrise."

One youkai approaches the two women, but is promptly stopped when a dead wild boar hits him. All on the ledge glance up, and Aurora can see a youkai, who she can hear being called 'Kouga'.

"I told you, don't touch her." Then the youkai jumps down, landing in front of Aurora. "And who might you be?"

Aurora glares at the man known as Kouga. "I am Aurora Sakura, and if you do not retreat, you will meet Moonflower."

He approaches her. "I'll feed you to my wolves-"

He is silenced when Moonflower's blade had appeared out of nowhere and was now resting at his throat. "I will not warn again, youkai."

Kouga carefully takes a step back, and Aurora allows him to, sheathing her sword. The wolf's eyes go to Kagome. "I need her help. She can see the shards." His eyes and pose turn cocky. "Besides, there are more of us than you, and you can't go anywhere."

Aurora grins. "Really? Allow me to disagree, youkai." She unsheathes her blade again. "I can fight, and I will win."

Seeing the fire in her eyes, Kouga gulps. "Then, come with us as friends, we really need help."

Aurora glances at Kagome. "This is your decision."

Kagome, by her nature, doesn't have to think about it for long. "Let's listen to them, okay?"

Aurora nods and sheathes Moonflower. "We will follow you to your den. In there we will listen what you wish to say, and make decision then."

Kouga approaches Kagome, smiling. "And you're going to be my woman."

Kagome looks shocked, and as Kouga grabs her, she slaps him. "You can't just claim a human! Besides, I'm kind of taken, already."

The two continue arguing for a while, and the rest just observe them, other amused, some bored, and some even shocked that she dares to stand up against him. Finally Kouga ends the arguing. "Whatever, let's go."

* * *

On their way to the den Aurora and Kagome are walking side by side. Kagome glances at Aurora. "Thank you."

She glances at the miko before turning her gaze back to the path before them. "It was nothing."

After a short silence Kagome continues. "So, have you learned more about yourself?"

Aurora nods. "Majority of my recollections have returned."

Again a short pause. "And Naraku? Are you still with him?"

Aurora glances sharply at the miko. "What do you mean?"

Kagome sighs. "Are you finally ready to leave him, and help us?"

"You wish to know the truth, Kagome?"

The younger girl just glances at her, like saying 'yes!' so Aurora inclines her head, fixing her gaze at the point somewhere before them. "I can not prevent myself for having feelings for him. I also know, that if our paths will cross, I will follow him. Without this, on my own, however, I doubt I would go back to him. Until our paths will cross, I will assist you."

Kagome is silent for a moment while figuring out the best way to ask the next question. When she can't figure out any nice way, she just blurts it out. "What about when the unavoidable happens? What happens when we face Naraku the next time? Will you turn against him, or against us?!

The silence that follows lasts long enough for Kagome to decide that she has to ask the question again, when Aurora finally responses, silencing the miko. "I will not fight him, or you. However, if he asks me to follow him, I will."

* * *

Soon enough they are in the den, and Kouga explains them of the feud between his people and the youkai who call themselves 'birds of paradise'. At first they have been equal enemies, but then the birds had gotten their hands at shard of the Shikon.

Using the shard the birds had killed many of his pack, wolves and youkai alike. "So, we have to restore the balance of power. And the only way to accomplish this is to take their shard from them."

After he finishes, Aurora is quiet for a moment, and Kagome keeps glancing at her, wondering what her opinion would be. Soon she gets it. "The living are not my responsibility. However, the Shikon is involved. Kagome?"

Kagome glances at her, and she isn't sure what to think. Her gaze goes to pleading eyes of Kouga, and she makes her decision. "I would like to help them."

Aurora inclines her head. "It seems, Kouga of the wolves, that you will receive our assistance."

* * *

Retrieval of the shard works just fine, if one ignores that Kouga loses the one in his arm to the leader of the 'birds of paradise', and Inuyasha reaches them in time to save the day with his Tessaiga. Kouga himself is injured and the other wolf youkai take him back to the den.

Inuyasha would rather fight with the wolf, because he had said that he loves Kagome. Kagome says one little word, namely 'sit', and Inuyasha finds himself slamming on the ground, face first.

When he can move again, he starts to sulk. Kagome goes and tries to talk to him, leaving the monk and Sango with Aurora.

After they observe the two arguing Miroku turns to Aurora. "Will you join us this time?"

Aurora grins. "I did make a promise, did I not? Time has come to keep the given promise." Then she proceeds to tell the two what she had already explained to Kagome, about not returning to Naraku unless he asked, and all that.

After that is time for the introductions. "I'm Miroku, a humble servant of Buddha. And the kitsune is Shippou. The feline is Kirara. I believe you know the others?" She nods.

Before they can talk about anything else, Kagome comes to them, asking Sango if she could borrow Kirara for a while. She wants to return to her own time. Kirara transforms into her bigger form and carries Kagome away.

Soon after she's too far for them to see, the rest of the newer version of their group head towards the village the group considers as its resting place, the same village is close to the well that allows Kagome to go between times. Miroku explained this to Aurora as they travelled.

During his explanation his hand moved towards Aurora to grope her, but Sango slapped the 'hentai' before his hand could've made contact.

* * *

While waiting for Kagome to return, the rest of the group use the time to rest, but Aurora chose to use the time by walking in the woods she knows now as 'Inuyasha's Forest'. During these solitary walks she trains. Not that she would need it, but it's the thought that matters. Without it she would get bored.

While not walking through the forest, she observes what the rest of the group is doing. Inuyasha seems to sulk a lot, Miroku tries to approach the village women, only to be stopped by Sango's Miroku-observing operation, which usually requires her Hiraikotsu to keep the monk's cursed hand (not the curse by Naraku) in check.

She has enough entertainment watching the two humans, but also Shippou and Kirara prove to be useful in driving away boredom, at least a bit, as the two play and or train. She grins. Ever since they were kids, she and Byakuya trained shunpo by playing tag. So maybe the two youkai were doing the same.

Eventually she is officially bored. Kagome has yet to return, and she has been away for a long time already. Well, long time to her bored mind, at least. She knows that Inuyasha has gone through the well a few times, for she has seen him jumping to the well and disappear.

* * *

After some more waiting Kagome finally returns, and the group can return to their shard hunting.

Not long after that they meet a bear youkai with a shard. Too bad Naraku's insects manage to get that one. Oh, well. After that incident they finally see a castle, and Miroku turns his attention to Aurora. "Is Naraku in there?"

She narrows her eyes as they stop in the middle of the road, all eager to hear her response. "Yes." She decides not to mention that his youki seems different. A puppet perhaps?

Miroku sighs. "Let us handle it. Is this fine with the rest?" He turns to look at the other members. All nod their heads. Aurora already had informed that she might go to Naraku if he asked her, and they didn't want that to happen. So better this way.

Aurora closes her eyes. "I shall seek for the shards elsewhere. When you have finished your business, I will find you."

Before the others have any time to respond, she speeds off with shunpo.

Aurora heads away from the castle, but can't really sense any shards. While travelling, her notions of the castle keep spinning in her head.

_There were two youkai in that castle. Youkai with similar youki than Naraku's. One was very, very faint, though. And all the souls… Does it mean there were many dead in there? And why Kouga appeared to be approaching that castle? Those two shards were definitely his._

_What is going on in there?_

Her thoughts are interrupted by very familiar youki. _Naraku! The real one…_ She halts and looks around her, trying to make a decision. To continue further but to risk meeting Naraku so soon. Or, to turn back and go to the group with no shards.

She doesn't have to think about this for too long. Few seconds later she's using her shunpo again, heading towards the direction of the castle, in order to find the group.

Soon enough she finds the group that had stopped for the night to a small building of sorts. She notices that Inuyasha has a wound in his abdomen, and Kagome is looking after him. "What happened?"

Inuyasha explains, what he can after Kagome has done what she can to his wounds. "We met a woman called Kagura, who smelled like Naraku. She had this spider formed burn on her back."

Aurora frowns. "And Kouga? Was he there too?"

Inuyasha growls after hearing the wolf's name, but still decides to answer, after receiving a warning glare from Kagome. "She set up a trap. Killed lot of wolves, then fooled the fleabag to take a fake shard.

"We got there bit before Kouga, only to be attacked by the dead youkai that were controlled by this Kagura. She released them from her control the moment the wolf arrived, so that he thought that _I _had killed them, when the wolf blood on Tessaiga was because I had cut the _dead_ ones to stop them from attacking."

She tilts her head to one side. "Just one youkai?"

Inuyasha blinks. "Huh?"

Aurora sighs. "I sensed two youkai that had youki a bit like Naraku's."

The hanyou shakes his head. "No, just Kagura. I couldn't smell another one."

Miroku also has a question. "Aurora, did you know that the Naraku in the castle was a puppet?" He looks curious, and a tad worried.

She bows her head. "I guessed. He uses them to observe, as you must know already."

The houshi isn't done with the questions yet. "Was that the castle you were in?"

She shakes her head, eyes now raised. "Iie, it looked the same, but the location was not correct."

After this they begin to discuss of what this Kagura actually is. Eventually they come to the conclusion that since Naraku was formed of youkai, he might be able to separate those youkai from him. So Kagura might be his 'offspring', or detachment.

* * *

During the next day's travel they arrive into a village in where they save a young woman from the local castle lord's men. Apparently she knows Miroku, who remembers her only after she introduces herself as Koharu. They are told that the two met years ago in this same village, and Miroku had asked her to bear his child. She was too young then, though. In the girl's own opinion she, at the age of fourteen, was now old enough for that.

She asks if she can come with the group, and the group tries to decide whether to allow this or not. Inuyasha is against, Sango and Miroku are for taking her with them. They couldn't leave her alone now could they?

Finally they reach a decision. They take her with them, but will leave her to the first safe place they encounter.

Soon they do find someone who agrees to take her in. She asks to stay with the group, but they turn it down as too dangerous.

* * *

As the night approaches, the group prepares to leave. Unfortunately someone chose the same time to come and say 'hello'. Soon after they leave the house, they are attacked by the village men.

Soon enough it gets clear that they are controlled, and when Naraku's Saimyosho appear, it's clear as day who's behind it. However, Aurora can't sense his presence, and the group returns to where they left Koharu.

Sango, Shippou, and Kagome leave behind to guard Koharu, when the rest head out to face the village men. Inuyasha fights the men with fists, Miroku with his staff, and Aurora with her kido spells. She only uses spells that would hold the men on the ground for a while. So binding or restriction only, nothing destructive that might cause injuries.

Suddenly she senses something familiar. Naraku. When the figure approaches the battle, she sees it's a woman, possibly this Kagura. This is confirmed by her comrades. When asked if she's controlling the men, Kagura denies this. She can only control the dead. She also tells that there's another youkai around. One that can imprison souls, and by that, she can control the soulless bodies.

At first Aurora can't sense the other youkai, but as she reaches out with her senses more, she feels nearly non-existent youki. Or maybe it's just nearly undetectable. And this faint one s familiar. It's the other youkai she sensed at the fake castle. She's just about to tell this to the others when Kagura challenges Inuyasha.

Inuyasha draws Tessaiga, and sends Miroku to Kagome and the rest. Aurora starts towards there too, but is stopped when Inuyasha asks her to stay. Despite preferring going to the others, she stays. Miroku was going there already, so they should be fine.

Aurora watches from the side as Kagura uses her wind attacks against Inuyasha, throwing him to ground. As the hanyou lands Aurora is already heading towards him, reaching him quickly. "Are you all right?"

He nods and gets back to his feet. He attacks again just as Miroku arrives with the others. Miroku warns them of something, but is too late. An odd white girl has appeared to Kagura's side and her mirror reflects Tessaiga's Kaze no Kizu (aka Wind Scar or Cutting Wind) back at Inuyasha, who falls to the ground.

Aurora is at his side in a flash, and she crouches to check his wounds. He's still alive but only barely. Healing might not be in her best area in kido, but ignoring that she begins to heal him.

During the healing Aurora senses familiar youki and growls inwardly. _Naraku._ For a moment she's tempted to run, but decides against it, unwilling not to finish the healing. Generally her attention is at Inuyasha, but she hears name of the odd girl. Kanna.

Finally she finishes the healing spell and observes how the puppy eared hanyou slowly comes to. He's still alive, but it appears that the Tessaiga saved his life, and her spell helped him to regain consciousness.

Keeping her gaze away from Naraku she listens to his words, as he tells that Kanna and Kagura are his detachments, the void and the wind.

Then Kagura attacks under Naraku's order, but Kagome, who's soul was supposed to be in Kanna's mirror, uses her bow and shoots an arrow that stops the wind strike before Inuyasha and Aurora.

Kagome turns her bow and a new arrow at Naraku, and a stunned expression appears on her face. The Shikon is bigger than it was the last time they faced each other! She mentions this to Naraku, who pulls from his clothes the nearly completed chunk of the Shikon.

He tells them that Kikyo gave her a big piece of the Jewel, for unknown reasons, and because of that he was able to create the two youkai.

After he has finished with his explanation, Kagome fires her arrow which Kanna attempts to block with her mirror. However, the mirror doesn't manage to return the arrow to Kagome, but instead the arrow begins to sink into it. This causes the mirror to begin to break, so Kanna is forced to release the souls she had imprisoned in it, to prevent further damage to the mirror.

It's only after souls have returned to their owners when Naraku finally acknowledges Aurora's presence. "Aurora. Look at me."

The others from Inuyasha's group observe how Aurora hesitates for a moment, before finally standing up and raising her eyes to meet Naraku's red ones.

Gazes lock, und stay locked for a moment before Naraku speaks again. "Come. It's time for you to return."

For a moment she just stares at him, before she uses shunpo and appears behind Kanna, who is standing on his right hand side.

Miroku had already been opening his Wind Tunnel when he notices Aurora. "Get away from there!"

Aurora's gaze goes from one of her now-former group members to another. "I must apologise for leaving your company so soon. I do not know when our paths are destined to cross again."

Miroku gapes at her for a moment before he can find his voice again. "Aurora, you don't have to go! Please consider!"

Before Aurora can respond, Naraku turns around and starts walking. Kanna and Kagura follow close behind him, and after sending an apologetic look towards her former group the shinigami follows the three.


	9. Feelings and the Shikon shard

AN: Sorry for the delay. -whoops- I shouldn't write 6 stories at the same time... -sigh- Anyways, more fluff coming. Some might get closer to M rating, really, but I think I was able to keep it within T rating. This chapter is mainly Naraku/Aurora alone, with a bit of Kagura in it.

The part in _italics _is a flashback.

DISCLAIMER: Bleach, Inuyasha, Byakuya Kuchiki, Kagura or Naraku aren't mine, Aurora and Gabriel Sakura are.

Enjoy!

Chapter 9

As soon as the four reach Naraku's castle, he tells Aurora to change her clothes and to return to him afterwards, for he needs to speak to her. She inclines her head as her version of a bow, before she rushes towards her room.

The moment the shinigami is far enough Kagura approaches Naraku. "Why did you take her back? She left once, and she will leave again."

Naraku doesn't respond to her.

Kagura tries again. "How can you trust her that easily? She left you already, remember?"

He glances at her. "She can still be useful. Also, I'm planning to make sure she is loyal to me."

Kagura is quiet for a moment, before asking the question she already knows the answer to. "How?"

He lifts a shard of the Shikon in front of his eyes, holding it between forefinger and thumb. "With this, if I have to. I already intended to use it once, but it wasn't necessary, then."

Kagura's eyes widen a bit and she opens her mouth to say something, but Naraku cuts in before she can. "You will see."

Before Kagura has any time to respond, Aurora returns, and Naraku's attention gets to her. He waves at the shinigami. "Come with me."

Aurora inclines her head. "Hai."

Naraku doesn't miss that she didn't call him 'my lord' anymore. For now, he'll let it slide. Instead of asking her about this, he begins to walk. He doesn't have to look behind him to check if she follows. He knows she will.

* * *

Walking in comfortable silence the two reach the garden, and the smell stream that goes through it. Naraku stops by the stream, and Aurora comes to his side, stopping as well. For a moment they stand in silence, staring at the stream, until Naraku turns to face her. Noticing his movement, she turns to face him, so that they are now standing face to face.

Aurora's eyes are at the grass beneath their feet, and as he studies her down turned face, he can not stop wondering what she's thinking at the moment. After a while he decides not to ask, his plan was already working perfectly, and too much curiosity at this point might endanger the whole plan.

So, he speaks in a soft voice, making sure to keep his voice free of any annoyance he feels. "Why did you leave?"

Her gaze gets a bit higher, but only as far as his chin. He frowns at this, but allows her to respond. "I did not plan it. When looking for shards, I encountered the hanyou and his group. I assisted them, and began to travel with them."

When her gaze stays at his chin, Naraku decides to act. He reaches out with his right hand, and gently, but firmly, grabs her chin with two fingers, and lifts her face so that their eyes finally meet.

He's momentarily taken aback by the unreadable look in her eyes, but then he pushes the question he now wants to ask aside, and says the words he knows he has to, to make sure she won't start feeling uncomfortable near him. That would cause her to leave again, this time for good.

"Aurora, I'm not angry or disappointed. You did wrong when you left, but returned when I asked you to. I didn't have to force you to come with me." He pauses for a moment, allowing her to absorb his words.

When her eyes widen a fraction, he thinks he can continue. "Tell me, would you have returned in time if we wouldn't have encountered today?"

She doesn't hesitate. "Iie, I would not have returned until I would have found shards for you." Close enough to the truth.

Naraku notices that she chose her words carefully, and that those words could be interpreted in many ways, and not all these ways were profitable for him. Still, he's sure she didn't say anything that would be false, so he'll let it slide, for now. "Did you bring any with you?"

She shakes her head 'no'. "The shards in their possession were gained fairly. It would be dishonourable from me, as well as for me, to take the shards from them."

His right hand moves to gently stroke her cheek. "You don't have to explain. You're back, and that is what matters."

She leans to his hand. "You will accept me back?"

His other hand raises to her other cheek, and he locks her gaze with his. "Yes, I will. From now on, I will keep you beside me."

She blinks, seemingly confused.

He moves his hands from her face, and then wraps his arms around her, pulling her against him. "It wasn't a mistake to let you away from my side. Your return told me everything I needed to know."

Her bit muffled reply comes after a moment. "What do you mean?"

He presses a quick kiss at the top of her head. "You came to me, even though your friend asked not to. Now, are you going to leave me again, if you meet them?"

He can hear her sigh quietly before she gives him an answer. "I do not know. I am not planning anything such. However, I cannot promise to return should I meet them again."

Naraku can feel a bit of anger rising in him, and he fails to try to hide all of it from his voice. "You will return."

He feels her tensing in his arms, and he forces the anger down. She had apparently taken his words as a threat. Not good. She even tries to retreat from his arms, but he only tightens his hold, pulling her closer, and leaning a bit forwards so that he can soothe her. "It's okay, calm down, Aurora. I promised to protect you. No harm will come to you when I'm near. I'm not planning to hurt you, either."

Slowly he can feel her to relax in his hold, and her head moves to rest against his shoulder. When she seems calm enough he decides to ask what made her react like that. "What scared you?"

She rubs her cheek at his shoulder a moment before she stills and responds. "I was worried that you might use a shard of the Shikon to control me, as you are controlling the boy, Kohaku."

He rests his chin on the top of her head. "I agree that I was thinking about doing just that. You did prove though, that it wouldn't be needed."

The two stay like that until the Sun begins to set. Even then, Naraku doesn't let her go, he just moves his hold so that now he's carrying her in 'bridal style', as she has fallen asleep in his hold, and he doesn't want to wake her up.

He carries her to her room, and before he lowers her to her futon he kisses the hair on the top of her head, and realises, that something has changed. From the beginning he had only planned to use her, by faking that he had feelings for her, to get her to fall in love with him, and that would've meant that she would be under his control easily.

But now, as he looked at her sleeping face, he realised that his plan wasn't going the way it should. She was in love with him, there was no question of that. He just had never meant to fall in love with her.

* * *

The next morning finds Aurora in the yard, clad in her shihakusho, practising with her Zanpakto's shikai form, naginata.

In the middle of one of the katas she can sense the wind sorceress' presence, and halts. "Kagura, I am aware of your presence. There is no need for you to hide, you are free to observe openly."

Kagura emerges from behind a small building. "I don't know what's going on between you and Naraku, but why does he give you special treatment?"

Aurora sighs. "He is the one who can respond to that." Without expecting a response, she resumes her training.

Kagura fists her hands and puts them to her hips. She glares at Aurora. "I was expecting that he would put a Jewel shard in you."

Aurora's naginata halts its latest swing, and she turns to look at Kagura. She returns the weapon to its sealed form, and sheathes it, before she responses. "For a moment, I though he would do it, as well. Why he did not, I do not know."

Kagura narrows her eyes. "Do you love him?"

Aurora startles. She hadn't expected _that _question. "Why do you wish to know?"

Now it's Kagura's turn to sigh. She also lowers her hands to rest to her sides. "So, that's why you returned. You love him."

Aurora blushes, but then can sense Naraku nearby. He has probably heard the question.

She startles as Kagura speaks again. "Why you're not denying it?"

Aurora shrugs. "I do not have the answers you seek."

Kagura is quiet for a while. Just when Aurora considers leaving, the youkai speaks. "Could you defeat him?"

Aurora blinks. "That is quite weird question."

Kagura narrows her eyes. "I was just thinking that you might be a traitor. Who's to say that that Inuyasha didn't send you to defeat Naraku for him? Am I right?"

Aurora sighs. She would never understand what the youkai was thinking. "First of all, if those were my intentions, I would not reveal them, or what I can do. Second of all, Inuyasha wishes to defeat Naraku himself. Third of all, I could easily do what you ask. However, I do not want to do so."

Kagura sounds taken aback. "Why not?"

Another sigh. How could she explain this so that the youkai would understand? She decides not to try. "Why would I wish to harm him?"

Before Kagura can respond, Naraku emerges from the castle, and approaches the two. "Aurora, please change in to something more fitting for a lady, and then join me for a walk."

She inclines her head and leaves the yard, noticing as she leaves, that Naraku approaches Kagura, speaking to her something in a harsh tone. She can't make out the words though, so she enters the castle to put some of her kimonos on.

* * *

Aurora finds Naraku standing in the middle of the front yard, and she walks to him, wondering what he wanted. She can't see Kagura anywhere.

As soon as he sees her coming, he speaks. "Come, Aurora."

She doesn't have time to respond, as he turns around and starts walking. She holds in a sigh as she rushes to follow him, eventually walking nearly side by side with him.

The two walk to the stream, and follow it until they reach a bridge crossing it. They walk to the bridge, stopping in the middle of it.

Naraku turns to lead on the wooden railing of the bridge, and watches the water moving. Aurora follows his example, and decides that it would be better not to ask what he wanted. She would allow him to speak first.

After a few minutes of silence, he finally speaks. "I heard the conversation between you and Kagura."

Aurora startles. "I-"

She's silenced by Naraku, who raises his hand. "I heard everything from the moment you told Kagura that you knew she was there."

Aurora swallows hard. "I see."

She turns to look at him when he grabs her hand, realising that he's looking at her intently. "Why _did _you return to me, when I asked, even though you were asked to stay, and after you know who I am and what I've done?"

She doesn't respond, for she's not sure what to say. She's not sure if she could confess her feelings to him, because it means that she would have to confess the feelings to herself as well. Naraku is right. Someone like her shouldn't be with someone like him. He's done bad things. But still…

She startles as he speaks again. "You also failed to answer Kagura's question about you loving me."

She blushes and has to calm herself down before she can rely on her voice enough to respond. "When you are near me, I feel warm and safe." She remembers what Sesshoumaru had said to her about those being signs of love, but she decides to ignore that for now. "I do not know what it is called, but that is how I feel."

She starts as he tugs at her hand, pulling her closer to him, and finally embracing her tightly. For a tiniest moment she wants to retreat, but then she notices how strong and steady his heart beat sounds like, and soon she relaxes, and wraps her own arms around him. His presence feels so nice. She's not sure if she ever would want to be away from him.

She can barely hear his next words. "And those feelings were the reason why all I had to do was to ask, and you came."

She rests her head at his shoulder sighing contently. "What would have happened is I had chosen not to come?"

He rubs his nose against her hair. "If I'm not mistaken, you would've stayed only if they would've held you down."

She nods against him. She prefers to be quiet right now. It was way too comfortable for her now to spoil the moment with words.

He wasn't apparently finished yet, though. "I want to know something. Tell me, what are you afraid of?"

She is quiet for a long time, trying to figure out what to say. She doesn't want to lie to him, she just isn't sure what she would be afraid of. Death? No. She was born in the world of souls. No, death doesn't frighten her.

Then, a memory comes to her mind.

* * *

_She is kneeling in front of her father, and Byakuya is next to her, also kneeling. She can basically feel her father's contained fury. __She doesn't dare to look at him right now. Not after…_

_Her father's voice interrupts her thoughts, and __she is amazed how controlled it is. "Aurora. Never do that again, do you understand?"_

_She swallows hard, wanting to explain, still not daring to speak. Too bad her mouth won't keep the words in. "I could not let them to get hurt, I had to stop the Menos Grande. I had to take the seal away."_

_She wants to say more, but decides to stay quiet as she can feel her father releasing some of his Reiatsu as a warning. "Aurora, listen to me. Removing the seal itself was a foolish act this soon. You are not ready to control that much power. You could have killed the very people you were trying to protect if you would have lost control fully._

* * *

She swallows as she returns to the present. Now she has the response to Naraku. "I am only afraid that I lose control and kill the ones I am trying to protect."

She can feel Naraku pushing her a bit away from himself, and can feel that he moves his right hand off of her. Then she can hear the rustling of clothes. When the rustling ends, she can feel something pressing against the skin between her collarbones.

Suddenly she knows what he's doing, as she recognises the feeling of a Shikon shard against her skin. She tries to retreat, but his hold is too tight. Startled, she glances at him.

His voice is quiet, but determined and gentle, as he speaks. "Do you want me to help you so that you would never lose control of your powers?"

She winces, while thinking about having that shard in her. "Does it help?"

He nods. "Yes. Now relax, this won't hurt."

She closes her eyes, and then she feels how the shard goes through her skin, and is purified by her reiatsu. She has no idea how that could be, reiatsu in neutral energy, not pure or holy, at least not to her knowledge.

Then all other thoughts are forgotten as she feels his lips touching hers. She doesn't take much time to respond to his kiss, instead she moves her lips against his own quite soon after their lips touched.

She pulls away from the kiss, and from him, for a moment to move her hands to cup his face. She's not sure what she can see in his eyes, but all too soon her eyes go at his lips, and she closes the space between them again, to connect their lips once more.


	10. Hearts and Search Begins

AN: It's been a while... Gomen nasai -bows- I hope 5 pages (started on 6th) long chapter is long enough to compensate the long wait.

Some scenes might be familiar, they're from the series, modified to fit the story. Not much of those left, though. Also, non-flashback Soul Society scene ahead.

DISCLAIMER: Neither Bleach or Inuyasha belongs to me. Kubo Tite and Rumiko Takahashi own their creations. Aurora and Gabriel Sakura are mine.

Enjoy!

Chapter 10

When Aurora wakes up next morning, she has a feeling that something isn't as it should be, and she gets to her feet quickly, looking around her for the 'thing that's not right'. Then she senses a Shikon shard.

She's about to go to Naraku to tell him that she can sense a shard's presence, but stops, frowning before she can leave the room. The shard seems to be near…

Then she remembers last night, and the shard Naraku placed in her.

She sighs and raises one hand to her throat, on the spot the shard is now in. _Perhaps it would be wise for me to remove it._

_Are you sure that would be wise?_ Aurora recognises the voice as Moonflower's.

She nearly rolls her eyes. _He is controlling the boy with a shard. He might attempt to control me._

The other voice is quiet for a moment. Then it responds. _You still haven't remembered everything, have you? Inside you the shard is clean, and he can't taint you, you're a pure soul, born in Soul Society. And if he can't taint you, he can't control you. Simple._

Aurora sighs. Her Soul Slayer has a point. _He could still attempt to remove it._

_Worry about it then._

Slightly confused, she decides to get dressed.

She puts her Shihakusho on, and is just reaching for Moonflower to place the sheathed sword on her sash, as she senses Naraku and Kagura approaching her room.

Hastily she puts the sword in its place and then moves to open the door, only to come face to face with the two she had sensed. She also notices Kanna. _How could I not sense her? _She sighs inwardly. _Right, the Void. I always tend to forget how difficult she is to be sensed._

Her train of thought was stopped by Naraku's voice. "Ah, Aurora. I have a job for you and Kagura."

Aurora glances at Kagura, then turns her gaze at Naraku, inclining her head. "What is it?"

She notices that a frown flashes through his forehead, but she can't think of it any further as he speaks. "You two will go to fetch more shards. If you face Inuyasha's group, you can destroy them."

She frowns. "I believe you stated earlier that you would keep me beside you."

The look on Naraku's face gets odd, and she blinks, confused. She doesn't have time to ask him about it before he responds. "I know. It's only a short trip, though. And you'll be travelling with Kagura. You'll be right back."

Aurora sees something odd in his eyes, something that almost gives her the creeps. Then Naraku suddenly leaves with Kanna, and she is left alone with Kagura.

The youkai clears her throat gaining the shinigami's attention. "Let's go, shall we?"

* * *

The two women are riding on Kagura's feather, flying towards a place Aurora can sense a presence of a shard coming from. 

The travel had been a silent one, until Kagura breaks the silence. "You said yesterday that you could defeat Naraku, right?"

Aurora startles. _What is this about? _"Yes I can. Why do you ask?"

Kagura glances back at her quickly, before turning her gaze forward again. "Did you know that he's got my heart in his hands?"

Aurora blinks. She hadn't known that. She tells this to the youkai. "I did not know. What of it?"

The youkai is quiet for a short moment before speaking. "Listen, what are you planning to do when you remember everything?"

Aurora doesn't miss that the youkai is apparently changing the subject. She's not sure what the youkai is after, asking these odd questions. Still, she decides to respond. "I have yet to decide." She chooses not to tell her yet that she actually remembers almost everything now.

The youkai's next question confuses the shinigami even more. "Have you ever wanted to be free?"

Aurora's sure she can't hide the confusion from her voice, when responding. "I am free."

Kagura shakes her head, not looking back. "No, you're not. As long as you can't leave him without coming back, you can't be free. He might be literally holding my heart in his hands, but he's also holding your heart, if only proverbially. I can be free only if he gives my heart back, or if I take it back from him. You can take yours back, if you just want it."

Now Aurora is beginning to get the point of the youkai's questions. "Get to the point, if you please."

The youkai's voice gets anxious, a bit scared. "I want to be free. Please, help me. First, take your heart back, and then help me to take my heart back."

Aurora closes her eyes for a moment. So that was what this was all about. Betrayal. "You wish for me to betray him."

Kagura gulps. "I just want to be free, like the wind."

Aurora holds her silence for a while. This isn't the first time someone has said something similar to her. She shakes her inwardly. She has to admit, those all have been correct. She seems to have trouble letting go of Naraku.

Then, she makes the decision. "Were you aware that he placed a shard of the Shikon Jewel in me yesterday evening?"

Kagura sounds afraid. "He did?"

Aurora can tell that the youkai was worried that Naraku might control her with the shard. "Yes. However, you do not need to worry, he can not control me with it, until he gets darkness in my soul. This is something that will not happen."

Kagura glances at her, and there is hope shining in her eyes. "You will help me?"

Aurora nods. "I will assist you to retrieve a shard or two for Naraku, and I will make sure that he will not learn of this betrayal. However, from this journey, I will not return to him. I will keep the shard in me, in order to control when it is completed. And, when time comes, I will do what I can to help you to take your heart back. Do you understand what I am saying, Kagura?"

Kagura nods her head slowly, then she frowns. "I do, but what will happen when you meet again?"

Aurora shrugs. "I do not worry it now."

Kagura looks like she would like to ask more, but Aurora cuts her off with a wave of her hand. She can sense Shikon shards.

Aurora points at a small forest below them. "There are two shards of the Jewel in there."

Kagura nods and heads the feather towards the forest.

* * *

In Soul Society Gabriel Sakura, also known as Aurora's father and the commanding captain of the Royal Special Task Force, has invited one of the captains of the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads to visit his home. Byakuya Kuchiki is the captain of the Sixth Division and Aurora's childhood friend. 

Gabriel is worried about his daughter. She went missing some while back, and until recently, there have been no clues of her whereabouts. The clue he received this morning, stated that the people investigating the disappearance had found traces of a time portal.

Time portals are otherwise similar than the normal portals between Soul Society and the Living World, with the difference of time vortex that allows the portal to take someone not just to different world, but also to a different time.

Time portals can be created deliberately, but it's never easy and requires a lot of energy. Of course, Sakura blood is infamous in creating the time portals on its own. When a member of the family is losing control of their Reiatsu, the Sakura blood forces it to concentrate in a small area, to prevent it from harming others. This tends to create a time portal.

Luckily it's possible to tell to what time the portal has taken the one or ones that have gone through it. The investigators found out that Aurora has ended up about half a century back in time.

Now someone should go there and get her back. And there are only three she listens to. Gabriel himself, her mother Thea, and the childhood friend Byakuya.

His train of thought is stopped when Byakuya arrives. The Kuchiki head of the house seems concerned. Not that anyone else could see the concern on the younger man's face. Gabriel just has known this boy ever since the two young nobles were born, and he could see the concern in the grey eyes. "Ah, Byakuya. Come in."

Byakuya does as asked and kneels in front of the desk. "You said Aurora has been found."

Gabriel inclines his head. "It appears that she was losing control of her Reiatsu, and a time portal was born." By this point he notices that the young noble's eyes have widened in surprise, so he tells him about the clue. "We know that she has gone back five hundred years."

Byakuya closes his eyes. "She is in Feudal Era."

Gabriel takes a deep breath, and lets it out before he reveals why he invited the other one here. "You know she only listens to three people in the Soul Society, and two of us can't go due to family matters. So, I need you to go to that time, find her, and bring her back."

The young captain doesn't hesitate. "I will go, of course. How do I get there?"

Gabriel can't tell he's surprised. The two had been mistaken as twins more than once in the past, and they had spent a lot of time together. He's also sure that if it was Byakuya that had went missing, Aurora wouldn't have hesitated to find him.

He grabs a small grey device, and he gives it to the younger man. "I will open the time portal from this side. It will take you to the time and near the place the one she created took her. When you have found her, you can both return when you activate this. Good luck."

* * *

Aurora hurries through the forest towards a place she can sense Inuyasha and his group at. She had left Kagura on her own after telling her what to say to Naraku, so that the man wouldn't blame her escape on the youkai. 

Soon enough she finds the group that has made a camp by a river. She halts in her steps when she realises something odd. Inuyasha's youki is gone.

And not just that. The hanyou looks quite _human_ at the moment, with his black hair, grey eyes with round pupils, and human ears. "Inuyasha?"

All eyes turn on her. Inuyasha looks surprised. "Aurora-" He's cut off by Kagome's gasp. He turns to the girl, worried. "What's wrong, Kagome?"

Kagome is staring at Aurora's throat. "Aurora, is that what I think it is? A shard of the Shikon Jewel?"

The other members of the hanyou's group glance at Kagome, confused, and then turn their attention to the Shinigami.

Aurora inclines her head. "Yes, it is. I allowed him to place it in me. However, there is no need for concern. He can not control me. Also, I can prevent him from completing the Jewel."

Kagome blinks. "But the light from the shard… It's _pure_?"

Aurora smirks. "Naturally. There is no darkness in me, nor could it exist for long. Without darkness he can not control me. Also, you should not forget that I am not a human. I am a pure soul, and not part of this world. Shikon can not control someone such as myself."

Now Aurora can see hope shining in Kagome's eyes. "So, will you stay with us even if Naraku would come?"

Aurora smiles and nods. "Yes."

Kagome seem to get a bit dubious. "So… You don't like him anymore?"

"I did not say anything such." Aurora blushes. "My task is to protect souls. This is the way I feel is correct to make sure that I will not fail."

After her last words, Inuyasha walks to side, and is followed by Kagome. Miroku and Sango, on the other hand, approach Aurora. Miroku speaks first. "I'm glad you decided to stay with us this time."

Aurora inclines her head. "I am glad as well." Then she glances at Inuyasha, before turning her gaze back at Miroku. "What is the matter with Inuyasha?"

Miroku sighs. "Tonight is the night he loses his youki. It happens to all hanyou. Don't worry, he'll be himself as soon as the sun rises."

She shakes her head. "That was not what I meant. Earlier today his aura felt… odd."

Miroku and Sango exchange a glance before the monk takes a deep breath, and begins to tell the tale of how Naraku's detachment, Goshinki, had been able to break the Tessaiga, and how after that, Inuyasha had changed.

He tells her how the hanyou's fangs and claws had grown longer, his eyes had turned red, and jagged stripes had emerged on his cheeks, one each.

It had been as if he would have become a youkai.

* * *

A couple of hours later Inuyasha and Kagome had joined the rest, and they all had been quite comfortable, until suddenly everyone gets to their feet, alerted by something. At first they see nothing, but then a youkai appears, and the youkai is carrying a sword. 

Aurora gets creeps by just how the sword's aura feels like. To her, it seems to be more malicious than its carrier.

She unsheathes Moonflower, only to gain attention of the youkai, who narrows his eyes at her. "You are not Inuyasha whose blood Tokijin craves." The blade then moves to point at Inuyasha. "So, you're Inuyasha."

Before Inuyasha can react, both Sango and Miroku intervene, telling that they'll handle it. They ask Aurora to protect the others.

Aurora glares at the two, but moves to Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippou, raising Moonflower's barrier around the three, then she turns her attention to the rest of the group.

Sango's Hiraikotsu can't harm the youkai; it only ends up cut in two by the sword. Miroku uses his sutras, managing to break the youkai's skull with his staff.

Too bad the youkai just gets to his feet, and challenges Inuyasha.

Aurora is determined to stop the youkai. "Moonflower could defeat the youkai within seconds."

Inuyasha glares at her. "Don't interfere. This is my fight."

Then he charges at the youkai, only to be forced to a halt by a flying ox that lands in front of him. On the back of the creature there's a youkai Aurora can't recognise, but she hears Shippou call him Toutousai.

And he's carrying a fixed Tessaiga.

Inuyasha grabs the sword and charges at the youkai again. At first he's losing, but then the Sun rises, and he gets his youki back. With the change Tessaiga takes its real form.

The hanyou states that it's heavier than usually. Then he attacks the youkai again, and the two blades push against each other. The victor is clear. Tokijin is able to take the pressure of Tessaiga, but the youkai's body doesn't, but it breaks into pieces instead, leaving the sword to stick up from the ground.

Inuyasha then goes to Toutousai. "How do you think I could handle Tessaiga now that it's so heavy?"

Toutousai hints that he should train his body. This earns him a few bumps, by courtesy of Inuyasha.

Then the group moves on in an attempt to decide what to do with the sword. Being as dangerous at it is, the choices are limited. They can either create a barrier around it or destroy it.

They are still trying to make the decision when they are interrupted by a double-headed dragon that lands from the sky. The dragon is carrying Sesshoumaru on its back.

The taiyoukai's eyes find Aurora. "I see you found the half breed's group."

Aurora shoots a warning glance at growling Inuyasha, holding out an arm to prevent him from attacking his brother, before she turns to look at the taiyoukai. "I already found them soon after I left your company last time. Little after that I returned to Naraku. This is the second time I left him, and joined your brother's group."

Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes. "Have you left Naraku for good?"

Aurora misses the shocked expressions of the faces of rest of the group as they listen to the conversation. Inuyasha especially is very surprised.

The shinigami inclines her head. "That is my intention."

Before Sesshoumaru can ask or comment more, Inuyasha speaks up. "What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?"

The taiyoukai gives a 'hn'. "I could ask you the same. I came for the sword. Apparently it wished for revenge. The oni whose fangs were used to forge it was killed by you."

Miroku's eyes widen as he realises something. "By you knowing that… Does it mean it was you, who…"

Sesshoumaru grins. "It was I who ordered it."

Then he proceeds to reach towards the hilt, causing Toutousai to shout. "Don't touch it! Even someone like you will be controlled by the sword!"

The taiyoukai snorts and grabs the hilt. "Who do you think I am?"

As he raises the sword, the dark aura of the sword weakens, until it vanishes completely, prompting a thought mutual to all observers. _What a creepy guy, having aura that can defeat Tokijin's…_

Then he points the sword at Inuyasha, asking him to draw his sword, for he wishes to verify something. The others suggest against it, but the hanyou doesn't listen to them, instead he charges at his brother.

Too bad Tessaiga is still too heavy for him, and he has no chances against the taiyoukai, and he ends up having his blade flown from his hands, in the courtesy of Sesshoumaru.

As if losing his weapon would stop Inuyasha.

He charges at Sesshoumaru, once more. And when he's pushed back, he attacks again, and again, and again.

Kagome asks him to retrieve the sword, but Inuyasha insists that he could manage better without the heavy blade.

Then Sesshoumaru decides to end the game, and strikes at Inuyasha with air pressure, using an ability of Tokijin. The strike hits, and the hanyou is flown backwards until he is left in a crouch.

Sesshoumaru charges against him, only to stop in the middle of the strike, earning a surprised reaction from Aurora.

The shinigami blinks at the halted taiyoukai, but understands his action as soon as she turns to look at the hanyou, sensing his aura changing. It begins to resemble that of Sesshoumaru. _So, that is why he halted. He must have sensed it as well. Was this the matter he wished to verify?_

Before she can think about anything else, Toutousai steps in, blowing flames at Sesshoumaru. He also urges the group to take Inuyasha with them and flee. And that's exactly what they do, with the help of Kagome's 'sit'-command.


	11. Old Friend and Home

AN: Sorry for the extended break, I hope 5+ pages can make up for the wait. In recent Bleach manga is mentioned Division Zero AKA Royal Guard. Earlier in series Rukia mentioned Royal Special Task Force that deals with the Menos Grande. The names of the groups are same, and are possibly the same, name depending on the translation. For now I'll let even Aurora to ponder if they're the same, and will reveal it to her (and you) as soon as I know more.

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha and Bleach belong to their creators, not me. Sakura family, however, is mine. I have adapted a scene to suit the story, original scene doesn't come from my imagination, but from Rumiko Takahashi's.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

The group is resting by a river bank. They truly need the rest now, after the battle with Toutousai's old apprentice Kaijinbo. Besides, Sango's Hiraikotsu needs to be fixed, and the old youkai is at it the moment.

At a small distance from him, just by the river, Inuyasha and Myouga are arguing. The flea insists that the hanyou should never again fight without Tessaiga, no matter how heavy it is.

Inuyasha complains. "It's too heavy, it'll just slow me down."

Then he proceeds to show exactly how heavy it is. He draws it and it transforms into its bigger form. Too bad Inuyasha is standing too close to the river, so as soon as the blade gets bigger, its heaviness gets the hanyou off balance, causing him to fall to the water.

Aurora glances at the hanyou who is climbing back to the dry land. From him her eyes go to Miroku and Kagome, and she hears their discussion of the fact that Inuyasha needs the Tessaiga, since it seals his youkai blood.

The shinigami looses her interest after a while and she lowers herself to the ground, her back against a trunk of a tree. Then she pulls Moonflower from its sheath and studies its blade in sealed form.

She runs her fingers across the side of the cold blade, finding no stains or imperfections. Then she raises the sharp edge to her face and checks if it's as perfect condition as the rest of the blade.

It is. It's as if she has never used it the blade against _anything_ with more density than water. Or air.

She does remember using the sealed form against another sealed soul slayer, or actually more than one, when she has sparred with other shinigami. She also recalls using it against several Menos Grande, as well as hundreds of hollows.

After that kind of use, the blade shouldn't be in as good condition as it would've been if it had been just been made and finished a moment ago.

She grins inwardly. The sword maker definitely had known what he had been doing. As far as she knows, only the finest blades wouldn't suffer from damage after being used as much as she had used hers.

Next she releases the weapon, to shikai. Now she can check the condition of the naginata. The pole part, the blade, everything. She doesn't really get surprised as she finds out that the weapon is in perfect condition.

Satisfied, she seals the blade and sheathes it. Then she closes her eyes in an attempt to meditate a bit. After all, there are still gaps in her memory. Not many, though. She remembers her childhood, Academy time, her entering the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads, her promotions through the divisions…

Her last recollection is when she was called to the First Division Offices, as the Head Captain Yamamoto had invited her there. It had been about promotion.

That's where it all gets blurry. She had been captain of the Tenth Division, but she can't remember what the promotion Yamamoto had meant was. She wasn't even sure if there were any promotions possible for captains, other than Central Forty-Six.

She frowns. Wait. There was the Royal Guard. The Division Zero. She recalls that it works directly under the Monarch, the Soul King. But… Didn't her father work for Royal Special Task Force? She's not sure if the two are separate groups, or two names for one group.

Her train of thought is stopped as she suddenly senses something familiar. Something she hasn't sensed in this world, not since she woke up in Naraku's castle.

She gets to her feet and instinctively lowers her hand to the hilt of her sword. This something is familiar, all right, but she can't quite recognize it. She's not sure if it's a friend or foe she's sensing.

She nearly startles as the Moonflower begins to vibrate under her palm. She turns her gaze to the weapon. "So, you can sense it as well."

Kagome had noticed her reaction and walks to her. "What's wrong?"

Aurora glances at her before shifting her gaze at the direction she can feel that something coming from. "Someone is approaching us, fast."

The others become alert as soon as she has finished the sentence. Inuyasha turns to Kagome. "I can't smell anything odd. Can you sense Shikon shards?"

Kagome narrows her eyes a bit, before shrugging. "Nope."

Miroku speaks next. "I can't feel youki." He glances at the fire cat, who's in her small form. "Kirara doesn't seem to sense anything odd either."

Aurora frowns as she tries to recall when she felt this presence last time. Not successful, she glances at Moonflower, wondering if the blade could help her.

The soul slayer apparently read her mind, since suddenly a familiar face emerges in her mind. Someone she knows is a friend.

With this remembered, she moves her hand away from the blade and seemingly relaxes, causing Shippou to jump to her shoulder curiously. "You know who's coming?"

She nods. "You will see for yourself in a short moment."

After that short moment, approximately five seconds, a man emerges right in front of them. He's wearing similar outfit as Aurora's own. He's grey eyes study the group seemingly uninterested, and his black hair has five white half tubes, two on the side, three on top, on it. These tubes form Kenseikan, a decoration for hair that only noble are allowed to use.

An the man is definitely a noble, Aurora can even remember the time he only used the tubes on top of the hair. "Byakuya, what brings you here?"

The man closes his eyes. "I am here to bring you home."

Aurora frowns. "How did you find me?"

Byakuya opens his eyes, and fixes them at her. "You disappeared during a mission to the living world. The people investigating the disappearance were able to find out that you were brought half a millennium back in time. Your father opened a time portal that brought me near to the location the portal you created brought you. Finding you after that was easy."

Aurora blinks. "Time portal? I recall father talking about them, but I can't remember if I was taught to open one on purpose. He did tell me about Sakura blood creating them on its own when need would come, but I can not recall such need."

Then something he had said reaches her brains. "Did you say I disappeared during a mission?" He nods. "Can you tell me more about it?"

He raises one eyebrow. "You do not recall the mission?"

She shakes her head. "I remember when my lieutenant, Toshiro Hitsugaya, came to inform me that the First Captain wished to see me, and that it was about a promotion. That is it. I do not recall what the promotion was, or if it was even given. I can not even recall how long ago this was."

Byakuya sighs. "You were promoted to Division Zero, and your lieutenant was promoted captain of the Tenth Division. This happened ten months ago. Then, four months ago you were sent to a mission to the Living World. When you failed to return after an hour, a team was sent to investigate. They found traces of a battle, but you were not there.

"Only recently the investigators found traces of a time portal and were able to locate you to this time. As soon as you were located your father requested me to follow you to bring you home."

Aurora's eyes widen. "I can not recall the battle, just as apparently six months of my life has vanished. Still, the battle must have been hard, since if a time portal was created, I must have been close to losing control of my reiatsu."

He tilts his head a bit to one side. "You will likely recall what has happened in time. Yet, now we must go. Your father is waiting for you."

She shakes her head. "I can not leave at this moment. There are many things I must finish before returning home."

He glances at her curiously, so she sighs and lowers herself to the ground, being followed by all others. Then she proceeds to tell about the time when she woke up at Kagewaki's castle. She tells him everything from that moment, to the moment when she sensed Byakuya's presence.

After she has finished her story a silence falls on the group. The silence that lasts only for a few minutes before Byakuya breaks it. "If you have nothing against it, I would like to assist you in your task of protecting the souls in that Jewel. As a shinigami, it is our duty."

She glances at the others. "Is it all right with you?"

All agree, so she turns her attention back at her old friend. "I have nothing against your assistance. Still, there is something you must promise."

He frowns. "What is it?"

She lets out a breath she wasn't aware that she was holding. "If I seem to be rejoining Naraku's group, prevent me. If he gets me under his control, you must bring me to my senses. If that fails, you must do what you have to in order to stop me."

Their eyes lock for a moment. She knows that they both know what the last one means. He would have to fight her, to death if necessary. That fight, she would prefer not to see. In serious fight, the two were not equal. In kido she would win, in swordsmanship he would win. But in all out battle, both using bankai, and if she would have all of her reiatsu in use…

She barely prevents a shudder from going through her body. That battle would be devastating in any case.

She's brought back to moment by Byakuya's voice. "I promise, Aurora. If this is to happen, I will do what I must."

She smiles at him. "Thank you." Then a thought hits her. Maybe she should introduce Inuyasha's group and her friend to each other. "Byakuya, meet my travelling companions. Shippou is the kitsune cub on my shoulder, the two tailed fire cat is Kirara, the girl with green skirt is miko Kagome from Tokyo of our time, the other woman is a taijiya named Sango, houshi is called Miroku, Toutousai is the youkai fixing the boomerang, he is in the group occasionally, the dog eared hanyou is Inuyasha, and the flea youkai is Myouga.

"Group, this is my old friend Byakuya Kuchiki. We have known each other since we were little children. As you can see, he is a shinigami like me."

When the introductions were done Byakuya turned to Aurora. "I know you wish to stay here, but we must return back to Soul Society, even for a moment."

Aurora is about to say something against this, when Kagome's voice gains her attention. "Go on, Aurora. We'll be fine for a moment. I think you really should go. Just find us when you return, okay?"

What can Aurora say? Nothing much, so she agrees and turns to Byakuya. "Alright, let us go."

* * *

Aurora recognises her home mansion as soon as she sees it. It looks just the same as she remembers it. Though, she recalls that it had _always_ looked the same. Just the people changed. And the garden.

She's brought out from her reverie by a familiar voice. "Your father told you had been found, Aurora."

She turns around to see her mother Thea. "Mother?"

Thea smiles and embraces her daughter. "I knew you were fine, just lost."

As Aurora retreats from the embrace she returns to her mother's smile with one of her own. "I wish I could recall what happened to cause me to get lost."

Thea shrugs gracefully. "You will remember, in time." Then she turns to Byakuya. Thank you for bringing her back, Byakuya. My husband will be here soon, I am sure he would like to have a word with both of you."

She glances at her daughter who seems to be tense, her head bent, her hands fisted and she appears to be trembling a bit. "Aurora, what is wrong?"

Aurora takes in a deep breath to stop trembling, and then she opens her fists, raising her face to meet her mother's gaze. "Haha-ue, I can not stay for long."

Thea frowns, glancing at Byakuya hoping to see his reaction, so that she could understand what her daughter means, but his eyes are closed and face unreadable.

She opens her mouth to ask her daughter for an explanation when a male voice beats her to it. "Why not?"

All three turn their attention at the direction of the voice, only to come face to face with the head of the Sakura house, and Aurora's father, Gabriel Sakura.

Aurora responds to his question quite quickly. "I will explain, yet we should get comfortable, Chichi-ue. The story is long."

So, the four go to Gabriel's study room and as soon as all are comfortably, either sitting or kneeling on the cushions, or in Gabriel's case on a legless chair, Aurora begins her story. She tells her parents the same she told to Byakuya just a few moments earlier.

She finishes her story an hour later, and as soon as she has fell silent Gabriel speaks. "Byakuya, Aurora. Rest for tonight, and return to the past tomorrow if you really wish to return. Before that, you both must make arrangements with your divisions so that you can stay in the past for as long as needed."

Aurora gulps. "What is my division?"

Gabriel sighs. "You were promoted to Division Zero, the Royal Guard."

She frowns. "Is that your division?"

Gabriel tilts his head to one side, seemingly amused. "You really do not remember, do you?"

She shakes her head, and he lets out a short laughter. "In that case, it is better I handle this with your Division. So, do not worry about it. Now, I believe your mother wishes to introduce two new family members to you."

* * *

As soon as Aurora and Thea have left the study Gabriel turns to Byakuya. "Do you think this Naraku could control her by using the shard in her throat?"

Byakuya inclines his head. "This Shikon appears to be a powerful artefact. If Naraku will gain all the shards, save for hers, he could use it to control her by tainting the shard with the rest of the Jewel."

Gabriel shakes his head in indecision. "If this is to happen, do you think you could bring her to her senses without having to duel her?"

The younger shinigami shakes his head. "I wish it could be possible, but seeing that she has feelings for Naraku, I do not think a fight could be avoided."

Gabriel closes his eyes. "I see."

A silence falls between two heads of the noble houses, leaving both in their ponderings. Both know that the duel can only end in disaster.

The silence is broken by Gabriel. "In case of the duel, it must be secured that the disaster is not inevitable." He reaches for a inside pocket of his kimono, pulling a pure white pearl from there.

He hands it over to Byakuya, who takes it with a questioning look on his face. Gabriel then explains. "If the battle between you and my daughter is imminent, use this pearl. Merely feed some of your reiatsu to it to activate it. As long as the pearl is whole it will act as an additional seal to make sure that her Sakura blood will stay sealed, even though her own seal might be removed. This will make it less likely for the battle to destroy everything around you."

Byakuya pockets the pearl. "If she goes to bankai, I will not be able to defeat her."

Gabriel sighs. "I know. Her bankai… Only my bankai can beat that." He holds a pause to think of options, figuring a few soon. "Byakuya, if she begins to go to bankai, you must destroy the pearl. It will take both of you to another time and place, in a room that is made of stone that dulls reiatsu. In the room there is an inscription. It will tell you how to defeat her as soon as both of you can no longer use reiatsu. When the battle is over, find a small stone under the inscription, this stone is different coloured than the others. Push it, it will activate the mechanism that will bring you back to the place you left."

Aurora blinks as she sees the two babies in the cradle. The new members of the family. She hadn't known her mother had been pregnant.

Thea smiles at the babies. "Meet your siblings. The girl was born first and was given name of Yukihime. The boy was given name Yorukôtaishi."

Aurora glances at her young sister, and can understand her name, 'Snow princess'. The baby has a bit of hair already, and it is snow white. From her Aurora's eyes goes to the black haired boy, named 'Night prince'. That name suits too.

From the twins she turns to look at her mother. "I thought you were not able to conceive anymore, not after me."

Thea smiles. "I was not supposed to, thus you can imagine how happy I was when I heard I was expecting once more. Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division said we might never find out why this happened."

Aurora glances at the babies again. They look so innocent, so adorable lying in there. Carefully she reaches out with her hand, and gently strokes the babies' faces. She makes a decision then and there. She will go back to the past, destroy the Shikon, and return here to be an older sister to these children.

* * *

Next morning finds Aurora at the Sakura garden, sitting by the pond. Her knees are bent in front of her, and her arms are wrapped around them. Her gaze is at the still surface of the pond.

She tries to remember the six months before her waking up in the past. Yet, she remembers nothing of the days. Instead, a face keeps popping into surface of her mind constantly. Naraku. She keeps pushing the face out of her mind, but to no avail. It keeps coming back, again and again.

She wonders why she can't stop thinking about the man. After all, he only wanted to use her, in order to make the Shikon whole again.

Suddenly Naraku's face is replaced by another, very similar. Kagewaki. His face from the time the soldiers had been harassing her and he had come to drive them away. And what followed after that.

Their first kiss.

_Her_ first kiss.

She can feel heat rising to her cheeks and nearly curses. Why was she thinking of this now? Now that she was supposed to stay away from him, leave him behind so that they could one day defeat him.

Her thoughts are interrupted by her mother's voice. "Aurora, Byakuya is waiting for you. You were supposed to leave soon."

Aurora gets to her feet. "Mother, why is it, that even though Naraku only wished to use me, I still have feelings for him? I can not stop thinking about him. Why is this so?"

Thea smiles at her daughter. "You have fallen in love with him. You told yesterday that you chose to be with him even after you found out he only wanted to use you. Why that choice?"

Aurora sighs softly. "Because it was so comfortable to be with him. I felt nice, safe."

Thea lowers her hand to her daughter's shoulder. "You want to return to him, again."

Aurora only nods.

Thea pulls Aurora to her and embraces her. "Listen, we can't control who we fall in love with. So don't fight it. I know you want to be with him, but the circumstances are against you."

Young shinigami sighs against her mother. "What can I do?"

Thea kisses at the top of her daughter's head before responding. "Go to him, and find out what he truly feels for you. Then tell him your feelings. Tell him also that you can't choose between him and your friends. Tell him, next time you meet, it will be as enemies."

Aurora swallows hard. "I do not want him to be my enemy."

The older woman smiles. "Then tell him that. I am sure you know what to do what ever his response is. Follow your intuition. It will guide you."

Aurora thanks her mother with a smile, and leaves the embrace. Then they walk together to the front yard in where Byakuya is waiting for her so that they could return to the past.


	12. Emotions Told and Reunion

AN: It's been a while since last update, gomen. I hope 5 pages are enough to compensate. There was going to be one more page, but I decided to change the plot so I removed that one because it would've complicated the new plot too much.

Scene in _italics _is a flashback. With that... Let's just say that I nearly forgot that this is rated T, not M, so I had to clean the flashback scene a bit -blush-.

DISCLAIMER: Byakuya Kuchiki belongs to Kubo Tite, and Inuyasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Aurora is mine.

Enjoy!

PS. if you find plot holes I have missed, please tell me.

Chapter 12

Aurora is gazing at a small hill behind which she can sense Inuyasha's group camping at.

She and Byakuya have been back in the past now less than a few minutes, but she already feels how the shard she's carrying wants to get back to where the most shards are, to Naraku.

For a moment she wonders if the hanyou has something to do with the Shikon calling her shard.

She sighs inwardly. Well, that wouldn't be necessary since she's planning to go to him anyway.

Which reminds her... "Byakuya?"

Her old friend turns to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

She holds back a grin. He has always preferred using words only if necessary, so she has usually been the one who does the talking while he does the listening. "The group is behind those hills. You'll find them there."

"Are you not coming?"

She sighs, really this time. "I will come. Just… There is something that I must do first."

Aurora nearly starts at the sudden chill in his voice, for she has never heard it there before. He's usually the calm one. "You are returning to Naraku."

She nods. "There are matters that require solution between me and him."

"What if he can make you stay, once more?"

She pulls Moonflower and its sheath from her sash, and holds the sheathed weapon at him. "I am leaving her in your care. If I was not to return in three days, she will locate me, and you can come for me."

He glances at the weapon, not taking it. "What if you need her?"

She shakes her head. "I will be fine. Without her, you will not be able to find me. Remember, three days."

Finally he grabs the weapon, allowing Aurora to get on her way to Naraku's castle.

* * *

Aurora stands in front of the outer defence wall of Naraku's castle, thinking to herself 'now or never'. She knows that by now Naraku must've noticed how she has passed his barrier.

She hesitates for a moment. Does she really want this?

A quick shake of her head from side to side forces that thought somewhere far. She has to do this.

So, she makes her way to the castle yard. In there she can see only very few guards, and none of them seem to be interested of her.

She walks across the yard, but halts as she notices someone standing in the shadows at the top of the main building's staircase entrance.

She knows immediately who that someone is. Naraku. She can sense his presence. Vaguely she wonders why she couldn't sense him as she entered the castle.

His voice brings her back to her wonderings. "Aurora. You have returned to me."

She watches how he moves from shadows to plain sight before she speaks. "I have returned for there are matters we must discuss about."

He just looks at her for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Let's get indoors, shall we?"

Aurora walks to Naraku, and together they walk in silence until they reach a big room with several statues in it.

In the room Aurora watches at the bronze statues for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before finally turning to Naraku. "There is something I must say, and I ask of you that you listen to my words. Even though you might wish to interrupt, please wait until I have finished. Otherwise I can not be sure that I remember to say everything I feel I must say."

She kneels down on the floor, and he follows her example, kneeling across from her.For a moment she concentrates on the words she wants to say, before actually saying them, her gaze at the tatami covered floor in between the two. "I have fallen in love with you. I can not deny this. Even though it was in reality Kagewaki, who I fell for, these feelings have not changed.

"However, this can not be. Regardless of how much I wish to be with you, I can not. First of all, I am a Shinigami, and a pure soul. I belong to the Soul Society. You, on the other hand, belong to this world. Not to mention that you belong to this time, while I belong to time centuries in the future from this moment.

"The second matter that is against us, is that the situation concerning the Shikon no Tama demands that I should choose between my friends and you. This is a choice I am not able to do. As long as you are on separate locations, I can be with the other with ease. But if and when you are all in a same place, there will be fighting. I can not fight against them or you. So, this brings a problem."

She ceases as she realizes that Naraku has moved to beside her. Still, she doesn't look at him, preferring to keep her gaze at the tatami mat. After a moment she continues. "I wish I could choose both, you and them. However I know, we both do, that it will not happen. This means I must choose. And I have chosen. It matters not where I wish to be, but where I ought to be."

Another short pause, during which she takes a deep breath, before continuing. "A very close friend of mine, a shinigami like me, has travelled to this time as well. And he is currently with Inuyasha and his group. That's where I must be, with my friend."

As the last word leaves her lips she takes another deep breath, and lets it out slowly, as she wonders if she remembered to say everything she wanted to.

Her thoughts come to a halt when she feels Naraku's arm wrapping itself around her followed by the voice of the owner of the said hand. "I always knew you had feelings for me, but I never realized they were that strong."

She leans against him. "They are much stronger than I would wish them to be, since the stronger the bonds created by them, the more it will hurt to sever these bonds."

She can feel him resting his cheek on the top of her head. "Do you wish to sever them?"

Before she realizes what her left hand is doing, it moves towards Naraku, who is on her right side, and has grabbed his right hand that had apparently also moved on its own. She can feel the warmth of his hand and it makes her feel bad to say what she has to say. "I do not wish to do anything such. However, I have no choice."

His right hand separates itself from her left hand and a hooked finger touches her chin, turning her face so that she must meet his red gaze. "You do have a choice. Stay here tonight, and go to your friends in the morning. After that we can both return to our shard chase, on our own sides. If you face my subordinates in battle, feel free to do what you want. But what will you do if I face your group?"

She frowns. He wants her to stay overnight? She can feel heat rising on her cheeks. "Uh, I am not supposed to do what you are asking, so staying overnight, with a man who is not my husband."

She can see how his face turns from stunned to amused, and he smiles. "Oh, I didn't mean we should share a bed or a room. I understand how things go with nobility. What I meant was that we could talk. There's nothing wrong about that, is there? Unless you need a chaperone for that. Although you spend many nights in my castle before, and had no chaperone with you."

She gives him a bit embarrassed smile. His earlier words had brought back memories of her parents lecturing her of what her responsibilities to the family are, and those included not putting her own honour at risk by sleeping with other man than the one she was married to. "Well, um, yeah. Speaking is fine."

He kisses her forehead. "So, we'll talk. You haven't replied, by the way, to the question what you would do if I was to appear before Inuyasha's group."

She leans her right cheek against his shoulder. "I must protect my friends. I can not allow you to hurt them. Still, I will not let them hurt you either. If possible."

His right hand finds her left cheek and moves her face upwards so that their lips can meet. At first she hesitates but after a moment she responds to the kiss.

Aurora opens her eyes and finds herself lying on a futon, in Naraku's arms. She blushes when coming to a conclusion what must've resulted in the current situation.

She separates herself from his grip and gets up. As soon as she's up she realizes that she's still wearing her clothes. She sighs in relief. Naraku seems to be wearing his clothes as well.

After a moment she recalls how they had ended up in there.

* * *

_The first kiss for that day is long and sweet, and ends only because the two need to breathe._

_After that kiss golden eyes meet red that slowly turn brown. Regardless of the colour, both pairs of eyes are filled with emotion._

_Soon the emotions of the two take over and the lips meet again, this time they are accompanied by two pairs of hands that seek to touch and feel their loved one's face, shoulders, sides and hair._

_The kisses become deeper and more filled with the emotion the two share. Love, desire, and joy are mixed within the actions of the two lovers._

_Still, both know that they can't go too far, for both would regret it. She would regret for following her body's want instead of sense what she knows she should, and wants, to follow. And he would regret for not honouring her wishes._

_So, before things advance to that level, the two move further from each other, and talk of all things they can think of for a moment before a futon is produced from a another room and the two lie down on it, her back against his chest, and his arm wrapped around her body._

_And the two fall asleep as close to each other as it is possible while both are still wearing clothes._

* * *

Aurora can feel blush returning to her cheeks. Her first, uh, experience, had been very close. Part of her is a bit disappointed, but the rest knows that the time wasn't right.

If the two could get married, she ponders, then the time would be right.

She shakes her head. Now isn't the time to think about this.

She exits the room and the castle main building, halting at the castle yard. In there her gaze finds a flock of birds flying across the sky towards the direction she can feel her friends at.

After a moment she begins to walk towards the gates, but is stopped as a large number of Saimyosho, Naraku's poisonous insects, that gather in front of her as a wall. "What do you want?"

"They just ask that you wouldn't leave yet."

Aurora turns around to see Naraku standing on the top of the entrance to the main building. "There is nothing left for me to do here."

Naraku walks down the stairs in front of him and then walks to her. "There's one more thing for you to do – listening."

She frowns. "Hmm?"

He cups her left cheek with his right palm, and she has to fight not to lean on to his touch. "You told me of your feelings yesterday, so it's only fair I tell you of mine. At first I just wanted to use you, that's why I kept you near me. Later I really began to enjoy your company.

"And then you found out who you truly are. Then I got afraid that you might leave me. Not just because I couldn't use your skills anymore, but more because I wanted to be with you. And to my delight, you stayed. I thought that this human heart of Onigumo couldn't love anyone truly, not just physically as it desires Kikyo. Well, it can't. But Naraku's heart can. It loves you, without wanting anything in exchange."

She leans forward and their lips meet in a quick kiss. After it, their lips depart, but she keeps them in a short distance from each other as she whispers. "May gods bless us so that one day we can truly be on the same side."

After her words, she uses her shunpo to leave the castle and to head towards Inuyasha's group, leaving one shocked hanyo behind her.

* * *

Aurora travels for a while, nearly reaching the group, when she suddenly stops in the middle of the road, feeling emotions flowing over her. So, some of the signs of attachment from Naraku's side were genuine after all.

Her legs can't support her anymore and she falls to her knees. How this could hurt so much? The look on his face as he told her of his feelings for her… She can't shake it off of her mind.

She gets back to her feet and almost turns around to return to Naraku, but is stopped by approaching Reiatsu, one that she recognizes well.

Soon enough Byakuya is standing in front of her holding out Moonflower towards her. "She wanted to you as soon as she sensed your presence. How did it go?"

She takes the Zanpakto and it and its sheath to their place on her sash. "I do not think that the matters between me and him are cleared once and for all, but…" She silences herself suddenly at the recollections of the evening.

She can see anger flashing through his facial features, but none reaches his voice. "Did he hurt you?"

She shakes her head. "No. Severing bonds are always more difficult and painful than creating them. I will be fine."

With this said she begins to walk towards Kaede's village. Byakuya hesitates for a moment, not convinced that what she had said had been the exact truth, but then he follows her, deciding to let her tell everything when she would be ready.

* * *

In the village she is met by cheery Shippo. "Aurora, you came!"

She pats the kitsune's head gently. "Of course. Did you doubt that I would not?"

Inuyasha joins the three. The hanyo is wearing a look of odd calmness. "I can smell Naraku on you. Do you know what he did this time?"

She shakes her head, confused. "No."

Miroku, Sango, and Kaede join the four as Inuyasha tells of the two newest detachments of Naraku, that the group had defeated. After that story he tells about a huge Shinidamachuu, a soul collector, that had nearly killed Kikyo.

As he finishes, Aurora can't prevent chills from running through her spine. "Oh, my…" She nearly says 'but Onigumo's heart would never allow Kikyo to be killed', but she swallows the words the last moment. An inner voice says to her that these people might use that knowledge to hurt Naraku, and she couldn't allow that.

She glances around, noticing that something's missing. "Where is Kagome?"

Inuyasha opens his mouth to say something, but closes it with a quiet 'feh!'.

Aurora frowns at his acts. Why was the hanyo like that? Unless…

Now that she thought of it, she couldn't even sense Kagome's shards anywhere. "She went to our time, did she not?"

Inuyasha's ears flatten against his head. "Yes."

"When will she return?"

Inuyasha turns his face away from her, so she glances at Shippo, who replies. She can't miss his distress that is mixed with anger. "She might not come back. This baka here was with Kikyo again, and Kagome saw them, then ran away."

Aurora sighs. "I have the ability to sense the shards but that is not enough. Only the two priestesses can see them. She must be brought back."

Inuyasha shakes his head. "I don't think she wants to be with us anymore. Or could." He pauses for a moment. During the pause his eyes gain determined look. "I'll go and tell her that we will continue without her."

With this said, he leaves.

The others look at the direction he left, before Miroku turns to her. "You were at Naraku's castle, right?" She nods to confirm this, wondering what he might want to know. "So, while you were there, did you see any clues about his detachments?"

She shakes her head.

He has more to ask. "Will you return to Naraku when we meet him the next time?"

She takes a deep breath. "No. I have feelings for him, I do not deny this. Yet, I can not return to him. I have an important task to finish here. When the Shikon is gone, I might go, but only might. I do not belong to this world or time, so…"

She doesn't have to finish, since Miroku is nodding knowingly. "I understand what you mean."

Before curious looking Sango or confused looking Shippo can ask a thing, Kagome and Inuyasha come to the village, holding hands.


End file.
